Name: Sullivan's Island, SC statistics
Creator: Citytistics

Moving to Sullivan's Island

Charleston County gains about 5.4 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in27,049

Moved out25,330

Net+1,719

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Berkeley County, SC3,8785,708−1,830

Dorchester County, SC2,6374,144−1,507

Mecklenburg County, NC546393+153

Greenville County, SC388498−110

Richland County, SC443406+37

Beaufort County, SC358300+58

Horry County, SC300249+51

Colleton County, SC297

Within South Carolina, other states or abroad

Arrivals

37%62%

Leavers

53%46%

Within South CarolinaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$104K

Leavers$76K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Charleston County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here: 8.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.3% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves: Households moving into Charleston County report $104,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $76,400, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need: $64,800 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy: Median rent is $1,620 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $4,001 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $2,000,001.
Getting to work: 18 minutes each way on average; 14.2% work from home.
If it is close but not quite: Mercer Island, WA matches it on character. Compare the two

Moved from another state1
2.3%
17% above the median place
Income of households moving in8
$104,019
47% above the median place
Moved here in the past year1
8.4%
47% above the median place

All 5 moving measures

Measure	Sullivan's Island	Vs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure	8.4%	47% above
Moved from another state1	2.3%	17% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure	5.4	above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure	$104,019	47% above
Income of households moving out8County figure	$76,444	9% above

What it costs to live here

Median home value is $2,000,001, above the median place (median $319,400).

Sullivan's Island10.1%

Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent

$64,800

a year, at the 30% line

Rent to income

10.1%

50% below the median place

Home price to income

10.4x

173% above the median place

Could you afford it?

Your household income, before tax

The median rent would take

10%

comfortably under the 30% line

Left after rent, in US prices

$178,700

a year

Vs the typical household here

Same

as the median household

Uses the median rent in Sullivan's Island, $1,620 a month, and local prices for everything else (97.1 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Sullivan's Island, but easier on the budget

Close matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income.

Place	Rent to income	More left a year
Hingham, MA	7.0% vs 10.1%	n/a	Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Sullivan's Island.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Sullivan's Island? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.

Median home value1
$2,000,001
above the median place (median $319,400)
Vacant homes1
26.6%
277% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$4,001
114% above the median place

All 16 cost and housing measures

Measure	Sullivan's Island	Vs median
Median gross rent1County figure	$1,620	19% above
Rent to income1	10.1%	50% below
Property tax rate1	0.4%	53% below
Home price to income1	10.4x	173% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure	101.0	0% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure	$1,884	17% above
HUD area median income4County figure	$117,500	10% above
Property tax paid (median)1	$8,533	161% above
Median home value1	$2,000,001	above (median $319,400)
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure	2.3%	28% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure	70.8%	37% above
Homeownership1	85.3%	29% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure	53.4%	6% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1	$4,001	114% above
Vacant homes1	26.6%	277% above
Median year built1	1981	0% above

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Income per person1
$117,718
194% above the median place
Median household income1
$192,813
140% above the median place

All 10 work and pay measures

Measure	Sullivan's Island	Vs median
Median household income1	$192,813	140% above
Income per person1	$117,718	194% above
Unemployment1County figure	3.5%	29% below
Average annual pay6County figure	$72,198	9% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure	5.8%	57% above
Jobs6County figure	283,985	88% above
Poverty rate1County figure	11.3%	5% above
Mean commute1	18 min	29% below
Works from home1	14.2%	14% above
Commutes by transit1	0.0%	below (median 0.8%)

Who lives here

High school or higher is 99.8%, 8% above the median place.

High school or higher1
99.8%
8% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
84.3%
163% above the median place
Median age1
52.5
35% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Born abroad1.9% −79%

Homes with broadband94.2% +2%

Household size2.6 +5%

All 9 people measures

Measure	Sullivan's Island	Vs median
Population1	2,087	6646th largest
Population change since 20207	3.6%	212% above
Median age1	52.5	35% above
Bachelor's or higher1	84.3%	163% above
High school or higher1	99.8%	8% above
Household size1	2.6	5% above
Born abroad1	1.9%	79% below
No health insurance1County figure	8.3%	30% above
Homes with broadband1	94.2%	2% above

Life in Sullivan's Island

7 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 44 of them National Historic Landmarks.

Battery Gadsden listed 1974
Battery Thomson listed 1974
Atlanticville Historic District listed 2007
Fort Moultrie Quartermaster and Support Facilities Historic District listed 2007
Moultrieville Historic District listed 2007
Sullivan's Island Historic District listed 2007

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents38.3 3.8×

Playgrounds per 10k71.9 7.6×

Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%

Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k52.7 4.7×

Libraries per 10k9.6 11.0×

Named paths and bike trails0 km −85%

Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars33.9 +63%

Shops49.6 +64%

Arts, recreation and fitness7.5 +83%

Doctors' offices and clinics29.8 +48%

Child care centers2.4 +4%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public schools13
1
89% below the median place
Public school students13
497
90% below the median place
Students per teacher13
14.2
8% below the median place

All 16 schools and local life measures

Measure	Sullivan's Island	Vs median
Public schools13	1	89% below
Public school students13	497	90% below
Students per teacher13	14.2	8% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure	33.9	63% above
Shops per 10k9County figure	49.6	64% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure	7.5	83% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure	29.8	48% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure	2.4	4% above
Parks per 10k10	38.3	277% above
Playgrounds per 10k10	71.9	above (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k10	0.0	below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k10	52.7	373% above
Libraries per 10k10	9.6	above (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails10	0.3	85% below
Transit stops per sq mi10	0.0	below (median 0.2)
National Register listings11	7	46% below

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 0, below the median place (median 192).

Violent crime per 100k

below the median place (median 192)

Property crime per 100k

714

41% below the median place

Months reported

12 of 12

by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Hurricane risk15
99.6
41% above the median place
Natural hazard risk15
98.6
7% above the median place
Average temperature14
66°F
20% above the median place

All 11 weather and risk measures

Measure	Sullivan's Island	Vs median
July average high14County figure	91°F	4% above
January average low14County figure	39°F	54% above
Average temperature14County figure	66°F	20% above
Annual precipitation14County figure	50.1 in	14% above
Natural hazard risk15County figure	98.6	7% above
Hurricane risk15County figure	99.6	41% above
Tornado risk15County figure	71.0	13% below
Wildfire risk15County figure	93.9	53% above
Heat wave risk15County figure	82.7	8% below
Median air quality index16County figure	47	9% above
Good air days16County figure	60.8%	11% below

How it is changing

Five-year survey estimates, one point per release.

Median gross rent

Up 9.6% from 2019 to 2024.

Median household income

Up 41.2% from 2019 to 2024.

Median home value

Up 12.8% from 2019 to 2024.

Population estimate

Up 3.3% from 2020 to 2025.

Citytistics measures

Paycheck stretch

n/a

No local price data

Pay vs rent

+5.3 pts

a year, pay outrunning rent. Better than 94% of places

Family fit

of 100 on cost, space and class size

Growth

of 100 on population and income growth

Measures only Citytistics publishes, built from the figures on this page. Scores of 100 beat every place we track. Formulas

Sullivan's Island in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 15% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 15% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

Measure	Latest	2030 projection	Likely range	Avg. per year
Median rent	$2,375/mo (2024)	$3,020/mo	$2,470 to $3,680/mo	+4.1%
Median household income	$192,813 (2024)	$246,500	$208,500 to $291,500	+4.2%
Median home value	$2,000,001 (2024)	$2,695,000	$1,956,000 to $3,713,000	+5.1%
Population	1,961 (2025)	2,010	1,930 to 2,100	+0.5%

The median home would be worth 10.9 years of the median income in 2030, against 10.4 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

Places like Sullivan's Island

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

Place	Rent	Income
Mercer Island, WA	$2,502	$219,069	Compare
Cherry Hills Village, CO	$2,191	$250,001	Compare
Highland Park, TX	$1,940	$250,001	Compare
Park City, UT	$1,943	$133,558	Compare

Nearby

Compare Sullivan's Island with

Common questions

Is Sullivan's Island a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. The median home is valued at $2,000,001, more than in 99% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the highest of 101 South Carolina places. 84% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, a larger share than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 101 South Carolina places. On cost, space and class size it scores 77 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Sullivan's Island expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 10.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $2,000,001.

What salary do you need to live in Sullivan's Island?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $64,800 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Sullivan's Island safe?

There were 0 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Sullivan's Island?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Mercer Island, WA, Cherry Hills Village, CO, Highland Park, TX and Park City, UT.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Sullivan's Island with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Sullivan's Island itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/sullivans-island-south-carolina

Citytistics. “Sullivan's Island, South Carolina.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/sullivans-island-south-carolina/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Sullivan's Island

What stands out about Sullivan's Island