by Kristen Carney
Updated: December 17, 2024
The richest city in South Carolina is Kiawah Island in Charleston County with an average household income of $411,440 as of 2023. While exceptionally affluent, Kiawah Island only has a population of 1,975 as of 2023. The richest city in South Carolina with at least 5,000 people is Tega Cay in York County with an average household income of $186,435 as of 2023 and 14,057 people as of 2023 according to the most current Census data available (citation).
Rank | City | County | Population | Average Income | Median Income |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kiawah Island | Charleston | 1,975 | $411,440 | $236,607 |
2 | Sullivan's Island | Charleston | 1,922 | $309,339 | $179,614 |
3 | Isle of Palms | Charleston | 4,370 | $262,033 | $148,029 |
4 | Briarcliffe Acres | Horry | 545 | $261,360 | $182,083 |
5 | DeBordieu Colony | Georgetown | 748 | $244,220 | $193,182 |
6 | Pimlico | Berkeley | 1,940 | $236,563 | $138,833 |
7 | Pawleys Island | Georgetown | 135 | $220,873 | $118,750 |
8 | Seabrook Island | Charleston | 2,103 | $207,605 | $124,519 |
9 | Smyrna | Cherokee; York | 57 | $195,042 | -$1 |
10 | Daufuskie Island | Beaufort | 636 | $190,616 | $153,821 |
11 | Tega Cay | York | 14,057 | $186,435 | $141,037 |
12 | Baxter Village | York | 4,355 | $170,086 | $146,440 |
13 | Five Forks | Greenville | 19,093 | $166,196 | $140,668 |
14 | Mount Pleasant | Charleston | 95,232 | $165,424 | $121,364 |
15 | The Cliffs Valley | Greenville | 813 | $161,245 | $114,583 |
16 | Hilton Head Island | Beaufort | 38,097 | $152,870 | $96,715 |
17 | Lake Murray of Richland | Richland | 7,057 | $152,609 | $118,435 |
18 | Bluffton | Beaufort | 35,243 | $151,497 | $105,463 |
19 | East Camden | Kershaw | 4,210 | $150,790 | $53,234 |
20 | Fort Mill | York | 33,626 | $147,622 | $127,537 |
We usually suggest using median income data – either instead of or in addition to – average income data as a true indicator of wealth. If you haven’t thought about median versus average since your last standardized test, you aren’t alone. Here’s what they are:
Now let’s say you had the following simplified set of income data.
Household 1: $30,000
Household 2: $50,000
Household 3: $1,000,000
The average income for this set is $360,000. The outlier data point ($1,000,000) skews the average WAY up. Conversely, the average income would be skewed WAY down if someone had an income of $500. The median income for the same data set is $50,000. Outlier data doesn’t skew the median.
So most business owners should use the median income as a true indicator of wealth, because it provides a more accurate representation of a typical income, especially in areas with significant income disparity.
If your target market is high-income households, the average income may be more relevant. This is because the average income can highlight the presence of a higher concentration of wealthy individuals, which is beneficial for luxury goods and services marketing. We’re using average income on this page because using the Census’s highest reported median value of $250,001 could result in multiple ties for the richest geography.
The Census' American Community Survey uses $250,000+ as a jam value for median income estimates to protect privacy, ensure data consistency, and simplify reporting. A "jam value" in survey data refers to a placeholder or default value used when actual data points are unavailable, incomplete, or exceed certain thresholds. We represent this jam value as $250,001 to make it easy for you to sort.
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United States Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Web. May 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B01001 SEX BY AGE, 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 12 December 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B19013 Median Household Income, 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 12 December 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. “DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.” 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 12 December 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
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