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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Beaufort County, SC
Beaufort County (/ˈbjuːfərt/ BEW-fərt) is a county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 187,117. Its county seat is Beaufort and its largest community is Hilton Head Island.

Beaufort County is part of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is one of the South's fastest-growing counties, primarily because of development south of the Broad River clustered along the U.S. Highway 278 corridor. The county's northern portions have also grown steadily, due in part to the strong federal military presence around the city of Beaufort. The county's two portions are connected by the Broad River Bridge, which carries South Carolina Highway 170. Beaufort County has been identified as the most at-risk county in the contiguous United States for combined damage from climate change in the medium term, largely due to high wet-bulb temperatures, economic and farm crop damages, and sea level rise.

History

Main articles: Charlesfort-Santa Elena Site, New France, French Florida, Spanish assault on French Florida, Santa Elena (Spanish Florida), Spanish Florida, Province of Carolina, Province of South Carolina, and South Carolina in the American Civil War
See also: Economy of South Carolina

From the early days of plantations, African slaves outnumbered the European minority in the colony. The plantations on the Sea Islands had large concentrations of slaves that had infrequent and limited interaction with white people. The islands were sites of the development of the Gullah culture, which preserved elements from a variety of West African roots; the people also developed the Gullah language, a creole language. The county was majority black until around the mid-20th century.

Union troops took control of Beaufort County and occupied the area beginning in 1861. Many slaves escaped and went to Union lines. In some cases, planters had moved inland for refuge, leaving their slaves on the Sea Islands. Slaves began to organize schools and other parts of their communities early in the war in this county, especially on the islands. The Army founded Mitchellville on Hilton Head by March 1863 as a village where black people could practice self-governance; by 1865, it had 1,500 residents. After the war, the Drayton family reclaimed this land for their own private use. In some cases, the Union Army allocated plots for blacks for housing and cultivating crops.

When freedmen were granted citizenship and the franchise after the American Civil War by constitutional amendments, most joined the Republican Party. Although not the only majority black state, South Carolina was the only southern state during Reconstruction to elect a black majority of representatives to the state legislature. Beaufort County had many prominent black leaders, such as Robert Smalls, Jonathan Jasper Wright, William James Whipper, Julius I. Washington, and Thomas E. Miller.

Increasing violence during election campaigns in the state from 1868 on was used by white insurgents and paramilitary groups to suppress black voting; results were also dependent on fraud. In 1876, the Democrats regained control of the state legislature and governor's office, although results were disputed. While black Republicans continued to be elected to local office in Beaufort County and other areas through the next decades, in 1895 the Democrat-dominated state legislature passed a new constitution that effectively disfranchised most black citizens by making voter registration and voting more difficult. They were excluded from the political system and kept in second-class status for decades. In 1903, the county "was reported to have 3,434 literate black males to 927 whites", but due to the discriminatory practices, nearly all black citizens were barred from voting.

From 1900 through 1950, Beaufort County's economy suffered from the decline in agriculture, which together with oppressive social conditions of Jim Crow contributed to many African Americans making a Great Migration out of the South. African Americans went to northern and midwestern industrial cities for jobs and became an urbanized population. The total county population of 35,495 in 1900 dropped by more than one third to 1930, and did not reach the 1900 population level again until well after 1950, when the population was 26,933. Southern Democrats in Congress helped gain the establishment of military installations in the county and state, which added more population and stimulated area jobs in the second half of the 20th century.

In addition, vacation and resort areas were developed that attracted increasing numbers of tourists through the winter season, and then others all year-round as retirees.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 923.48 square miles (2,391.8 km), of which 576.04 square miles (1,491.9 km) is land and 347.44 square miles (899.9 km) (37.62%) is water.

National protected areas

State and local protected areas/sites

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Major infrastructure

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
179018,753—
180020,4288.9%
181025,88726.7%
182032,19924.4%
183037,03215.0%
184035,794−3.3%
185038,8058.4%
186040,0533.2%
187034,359−14.2%
188030,176−12.2%
189034,11913.1%
190035,4954.0%
191030,355−14.5%
192022,269−26.6%
193021,815−2.0%
194022,0371.0%
195026,99322.5%
196044,18763.7%
197051,13615.7%
198065,36427.8%
199086,42532.2%
2000120,93739.9%
2010162,23334.1%
2020187,11715.3%
2023 (est.)198,9796.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 census

Beaufort County racial composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 126,704 67.71%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 27,545 14.72%
Native American 354 0.19%
Asian 2,381 1.27%
Pacific Islander 119 0.06%
Other/Mixed 6,603 3.53%
Hispanic or Latino 23,411 12.51%

As of the 2020 census, there were 187,117 people, 73,043 households, and 50,500 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 162,233 people, 64,945 households, and 45,322 families living in the county. The population density was 281.5 inhabitants per square mile (108.7/km). There were 93,023 housing units at an average density of 161.4 units per square mile (62.3 units/km). The racial makeup of the county was 71.9% white, 19.3% black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 5.2% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 12.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 15.5% were German, 13.4% were Irish, 13.1% were English, 5.4% were Italian, and 5.0% were American.

Of the 64,945 households, 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.2% were non-families, and 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 40.6 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $55,286 and the median income for a family was $65,071. Males had a median income of $41,059 versus $33,959 for females. The per capita income for the county was $32,731. About 7.4% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 120,937 people, 45,532 households, and 33,056 families living in the county. The population density was 206 people per square mile (80 people/km). There were 60,509 housing units at an average density of 103 units per square mile (40 units/km). The racial makeup of the county was 70.66% White, 23.98% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.84% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. 6.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 45,532 households, out of which 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 21.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.30% under the age of 18, 12.00% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $46,992, and the median income for a family was $52,704. Males had a median income of $30,541 versus $25,284 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,377. About 8.00% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.40% of those under age 18 and 6.70% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Beaufort County is governed under the council-administrator form of government. Beaufort County Council is an elected body responsible for passing ordinances, setting county policies and developing an annual budget for the administration of public services to citizens. The chairman is elected to a two-year term by council at the first meeting in January following a general election. The vice chairman is charged with carrying out the duties of the chairman in his or her absence. Council members serve four-year staggered terms. Each council member represents one of 11 districts within the county.

Beaufort County Council (as of 2024)
District Council member
District 1 Gerald Dawson
District 2 David Bartholomew
District 3 York Glover
District 4 Alice Howard
District 5 Joe Passiment (chairman)
District 6 Anna Maria "Tab" Tabernik
District 7 Logan Cunningham
District 8 Paula Brown
District 9 Mark Lawson
District 10 Larry McElynn (vice-chairman)
District 11 Thomas Reitz

Politics

United States presidential election results for Beaufort County, South Carolina
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 59,123 56.63% 44,002 42.15% 1,278 1.22%
2020 53,194 54.37% 43,419 44.38% 1,222 1.25%
2016 42,922 54.66% 32,138 40.93% 3,464 4.41%
2012 42,687 58.24% 29,848 40.72% 762 1.04%
2008 37,821 54.92% 30,396 44.14% 653 0.95%
2004 33,331 60.34% 21,505 38.93% 399 0.72%
2000 25,561 57.90% 17,487 39.61% 1,100 2.49%
1996 17,575 53.00% 13,532 40.81% 2,055 6.20%
1992 14,735 47.10% 11,466 36.65% 5,086 16.26%
1988 16,184 64.68% 8,691 34.73% 146 0.58%
1984 13,668 64.72% 7,347 34.79% 103 0.49%
1980 8,620 51.62% 7,415 44.40% 665 3.98%
1976 5,935 49.34% 6,049 50.29% 45 0.37%
1972 5,929 64.12% 3,237 35.01% 81 0.88%
1968 2,983 36.29% 3,740 45.49% 1,498 18.22%
1964 3,432 55.54% 2,747 44.46% 0 0.00%
1960 2,021 52.89% 1,800 47.11% 0 0.00%
1956 1,051 37.85% 710 25.57% 1,016 36.59%
1952 1,599 59.11% 1,106 40.89% 0 0.00%
1948 150 11.93% 253 20.13% 854 67.94%
1944 108 13.55% 594 74.53% 95 11.92%
1940 91 13.52% 582 86.48% 0 0.00%
1936 43 7.90% 501 92.10% 0 0.00%
1932 63 10.10% 555 88.94% 6 0.96%
1928 124 22.92% 414 76.52% 3 0.55%
1924 64 14.61% 365 83.33% 9 2.05%
1920 149 35.99% 265 64.01% 0 0.00%
1916 105 21.65% 376 77.53% 4 0.82%
1912 50 8.68% 464 80.56% 62 10.76%
1908 272 34.26% 522 65.74% 0 0.00%
1904 319 43.46% 415 56.54% 0 0.00%
1900 385 50.46% 378 49.54% 0 0.00%
1896 444 60.57% 289 39.43% 0 0.00%
1892 268 60.50% 175 39.50% 0 0.00%

Beaufort County leans Republican and has voted for that party's presidential nominee in every election since 1980. Even in the first half of the 20th century, Beaufort was routinely one of the counties in South Carolina which gave the Republicans the highest percentage of the vote. In 1920, for example, Republican nominee Warren G. Harding won only 4% of the total vote in South Carolina, but 36% in Beaufort County.

Economy

In 2022, the GDP of Beaufort County was $10.8 billion (approx. $57,827 per capita). In Chained 2017 dollars, the real GDP was $9.2 billion (approx. $48,930 per capita). From 2022 through 2024, the unemployment rate has fluctuated between 2.2-3.7%.

As of April 2024, some of the largest employers in the county include the Beaufort County School District, Food Lion, Kroger, Marriott, Publix, the United States Department of Defense, and Walmart.

Employment and Wage Statistics by Industry in Beaufort County, South Carolina
Industry Employment Counts Employment Percentage (%) Average Annual Wage ($)
Accommodation and Food Services 14,136 19.6 30,940
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services 4,110 5.7 44,148
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 300 0.4 65,052
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 3,153 4.4 33,956
Construction 4,545 6.3 63,440
Educational Services 4,511 6.3 46,748
Finance and Insurance 1,761 2.4 100,360
Health Care and Social Assistance 9,584 13.3 60,112
Information 448 0.6 71,916
Management of Companies and Enterprises 672 0.9 59,644
Manufacturing 1,041 1.4 64,532
Other Services (except Public Administration) 4,181 5.8 44,720
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 3,602 5.0 81,952
Public Administration 3,574 5.0 62,504
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 2,444 3.4 54,860
Retail Trade 11,587 16.1 36,868
Transportation and Warehousing 1,188 1.6 53,768
Utilities 421 0.6 75,036
Wholesale Trade 767 1.1 81,016
Total 72,025 100.0% 49,446

Education

Colleges and universities

Community, junior, and technical colleges

K-12 education

Most of the county is in Beaufort County School District for grades K-12. However, the Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station has its own system at the elementary school level: the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) has two schools covering elementary and middle school for the base. High school students on the base go to the county school district.

District-operated public high schools
Charter schools
Private schools

Communities

Beaufort County is included within the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area which had an estimated population of 232,523 in 2023.

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Named islands

Some islands are also towns.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^ "QuickFacts: Beaufort County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "U.S. County Population Estimates, 2015". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
  4. ^ "New Climate Maps Show a Transformed United States". ProPublica. September 15, 2020. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  5. ^ "In Freedom's Shadow | National Archives". www.archives.gov. August 15, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  6. ^ "2020 County Gazetteer Files – South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  7. ^ "SCDNR Public Lands". www2.dnr.sc.gov. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  10. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  11. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  12. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  13. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  14. ^ "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  15. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  16. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  17. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  18. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  19. ^ "Beaufort County Council Home". www.beaufortcountysc.gov. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  21. ^ U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (January 1, 2001). "Real Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Beaufort County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  22. ^ U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (January 1, 2001). "Real Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Beaufort County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  23. ^ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (January 1, 1990). "Unemployment Rate in Beaufort County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  24. ^ "Beaufort County" (PDF). Community Profiles (4000013). Columbia, South Carolina: S.C. Department of Employment & Workforce - Business Intelligence Department. April 19, 2024.
  25. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Beaufort County, SC" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved October 26, 2024. - Text list - "Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station School District" refers to the DoDEA schools
  26. ^ "MCAS Beaufort Laurel Bay Schools". Department of Defense Education Activity. Retrieved October 26, 2024. The MCAS Beaufort (Laurel Bay) Schools are part of the DoDEA Americas Southeast District. We have two schools to serve military connected students in PK through grade 8.
  27. ^ "Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals: 2020-2023". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  28. ^ "Kathryn Wall". Cincinnati Media. Retrieved November 28, 2016.

Further reading

  • Lawrence S. Rowland, The History of Beaufort County, South Carolina. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 1996.
  • Stephen R. Wise and Lawrence S. Rowland, Rebellion, Reconstruction, and Redemption, 1861-1893: The History of Beaufort County, South Carolina, Volume 2. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 2015.
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