About Beaufort, South Carolina

Beaufort, South Carolina, is a center of commercial and business activity, and a tourist and recreation destination located on the Intracoastal Waterway, within a short drive to the other historic and unique communities of Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

The beauty of the water and marshes, the mild, year round climate with cooling sea breezes, and the availability of transportation by water, automobile, and air, have made Beaufort an ideal location for commercial and residential activity.

Beaufort has been selected by multiple publications as one of the top ten places in the United States to live or retire. In October, 2003, Beaufort was selected by Business Week as one of the top ten places to own a second home. As a result, Beaufort is the fastest growing county in South Carolina with a population increase of 39.9 % during the 1990s. This exponential growth in both the county and city of Beaufort has been carefully managed through a comprehensive county development plan and thoughtful preservation of historic Downtown Beaufort in order to avoid the negative aspects of growth experienced in other attractive communities.

With the anticipated influx of baby boomers seeking water and sports orientated places to work and live, the current high rate of growth will continue. Government projections indicate that the total population of the county will be over 132,000 in 2005, and increase to over 160,000 by 2015. The area attracts those who have the means to choose their community for the amenities it offers. Beaufort has a vibrant downtown shopping and dining district surrounded by the Beaufort River with a first class marina. The Waterfront Park offers festivals, markets, community concerts, and other entertainment during all seasons of the year.

In 1999, the median family income in Beaufort County was 16.1% higher than median income of all residents of the state and higher than the national median income. A significant percentage of the residents are retirees, whose buying power and habits are a function of their net worth, rather than earned income.

Outside the Beaufort city limits are numerous upscale residential golf and sporting communities, with full and part time residents, and lavish residences. That segment of the growing population is an important element, providing additional support for fine dining and upscale shopping.

The residents are only a part of the economic story in Beaufort. The history, recreational opportunities, festivals, and unique atmosphere created by Beaufort’s preserved antebellum past and its proximity to the beauty of the Low Country marshes and water draws visitors from all over the United States and other countries. Those visitors help support existing art galleries, shops, restaurants, and inns, and enable the new businesses to prosper.

Employment for residents is available through the entire gamut of professional, scientific, and technical services, construction trades and services, retail trade, and accommodations and restaurants.. There is a significant military presence in the community because of the proximity of the Naval Hospital, the Marine Corps Air Station, and Parris Island Marine Recruit Base.