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What the five Lowcountry markets are actually doing right now.
The Lowcountry market in 2026 is not one story anymore. Hilton Head Island surged 16.3%. Beaufort dropped 5.8%. Bluffton keeps climbing. Hardeeville's median fell on paper, but only because a wave of affordable new construction pulled the number down, not because values crashed. Across the region: 5,475 closed sales in 2025, inventory up 6.2%, sellers getting 96.5% of asking price. Plain English: buyers have more leverage than they've had since 2020. But the best stuff still goes fast.
Sources: Redfin (Jan 2026), Zillow ZHVI, Hilton Head Area Association of Realtors 2025 Annual Report
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Twelve miles of beach, 20+ golf courses, 300+ tennis courts, and 60+ miles of bike paths on an island where no building rises above the tree canopy. That last part is not a suggestion. It's law. You will never see a high-rise on Hilton Head, and that single rule explains why the island still feels like the island 40 years later.
Condé Nast Traveler has named it the #1 Island in the U.S. nine years running (2017–2025). About 38,000 people live here full-time. In the summer, that number hits 150,000+, generating over $3 billion in tourism revenue. If you're buying here, that matters: short-term rental income is real, and the demand is not slowing down.
Oceanfront luxury, resort living, second homes, golf enthusiasts, and investors seeking strong rental income.
Beach mornings, golf afternoons, Harbour Town sunsets. Dining you'll actually talk about: Michael Anthony's, Marley's, Charlie's. Year-round festivals including RBC Heritage and Wine & Food.
60+ miles of bike paths connect the entire island. Hilton Head Airport (HHH) offers direct flights. Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV) is 45 minutes away.
Condos from $350K. Villas from $500K. Single-family from $700K. Oceanfront estates $2M-$15M+. Strong short-term rental market.
Bluffton used to be a sleepy artists' village on the May River. Now it's where most people actually live. Old Town still has the galleries, the oyster roasts, and the oaks, but drive ten minutes in any direction and you'll find 30+ master-planned communities, everything from $300K townhomes to $10M estates at Palmetto Bluff. Fifteen minutes to the beach. Forty minutes to Savannah. It's the center of gravity for the whole region.
The population just passed 40,000, up 41.4% since 2020. If you have kids, the schools are a big part of why: Beaufort County School District hit a record 89.3% graduation rate in 2025, and 91% of schools are rated Excellent, Good, or Average on state report cards.
Families, full-time residents, golf club members, active retirees, and buyers seeking more space and value than the island.
Old Town galleries and May River oyster roasts. Top-rated Beaufort County schools. Farm-to-table dining at FARM, Bluffton Room, and Calhoun's. Farmers markets every Thursday.
15 minutes to Hilton Head beaches. 40 minutes to Savannah. Tanger Outlets and Buckwalter Place provide major retail. Growing trail network connects communities.
Townhomes from $300K. Single-family from $400K. Golf communities $500K-$1.5M. Palmetto Bluff estates $1.5M-$10M+.
South Carolina's second-oldest city, founded in 1711, and the kind of place where you walk to dinner on a tree-lined street that has looked roughly the same for 200 years. Beaufort is walkable, artsy, and genuinely affordable compared to the island. It's also a military town: Parris Island and MCAS Beaufort are right here, which means steady housing demand that doesn't depend on tourist season.
That military presence generates $2.5 billion in annual economic impact and supports over 21,000 jobs. About 200,000 visitors come each year just for Marine graduation ceremonies at Parris Island. If you want culture, history, and waterfront living without the island price tag, this is where you look.
History lovers, artists, military families, walkable-lifestyle seekers, and buyers wanting authentic Southern charm at lower price points.
Waterfront strolls on the Henry C. Chambers Park. Pat Conroy Literary Center. Shrimp festivals, film locations (Forrest Gump, The Big Chill), and a booming restaurant scene on Bay Street.
30 minutes to Hilton Head. 60 minutes to Savannah. Beaufort County's Spanish Moss Trail connects to Port Royal. Easy access to Hunting Island State Park beaches.
Condos from $200K. Historic homes from $400K. Waterfront estates $800K-$3M+. Lady's Island and Port Royal offer excellent value.
Ten years ago, Hardeeville was a gas station on the way to Hilton Head. Now it's where new construction is actually happening. Latitude Margaritaville and Tradition turned this stretch of I-95 into real communities with resort amenities at prices $200K-$400K below the island. Twenty minutes to the beach. You do the math.
The Census Bureau named Jasper County the #1 fastest-growing county in the entire U.S. in March 2026: 33.8% population growth since 2020. That growth has a name, and it's not just retirees. The Hyundai Metaplant supplier ecosystem in neighboring Bryan County and the Port of Savannah's expansion to 5.7 million container units a year are bringing jobs, infrastructure, and a very different kind of buyer.
Value-conscious buyers, active retirees, new-construction seekers, and anyone wanting Lowcountry living at mainland prices.
Resort-style amenities without resort prices. Latitude Margaritaville's Town Center offers dining, live music, and a Fins Up! attitude. Savannah National Wildlife Refuge is next door.
Direct I-95 access. 20 minutes to Hilton Head. 30 minutes to Savannah. Jasper County's planned commerce park promises future job growth and infrastructure.
New construction from $250K. Single-family from $300K. Latitude Margaritaville $300K-$600K. Tradition homes from $280K. Jasper County is the fastest-growing county in the U.S.
If what you want is land, quiet, and a horse, Ridgeland is where you stop looking. The Jasper County seat has what nowhere else in the Lowcountry can offer: actual acreage at prices that make sense. Ten-acre lots. Equestrian estates. The ACE Basin wilderness next door. It's 35 minutes to the beach and a world away from gated-community life.
Equestrians, land buyers, privacy seekers, hunters, nature lovers, and anyone wanting acreage with Lowcountry access.
Horseback riding, hunting clubs, and ACE Basin kayaking. The Jasper County Farmers Market and growing arts district. Annual Gopher Hill Festival celebrates local heritage.
35 minutes to Hilton Head. 50 minutes to Savannah. Direct I-95 access at Exit 21. Jasper County is investing in infrastructure to support planned growth.
Homes from $180K. Acreage tracts $5K-$15K per acre. Equestrian estates $500K-$1.5M. The lowest entry point in the greater Lowcountry market.