Home Insurance in Beaufort County, South Carolina
With a median home value of $455,600, Beaufort County is 76% higher than the South Carolina median.
The typical home in Beaufort County was built around 1999. About 4% of homes were built before 1960, about 9 points below South Carolina's 12%. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild.
In Beaufort County, the housing stock is 70% single-family homes, 17% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 9% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 59% of owner-occupied homes in Beaufort County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
About 76% of occupied homes in Beaufort County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 20%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
Most homes in Beaufort County - 80% - are primarily heated with electricity.
The top hazards for Beaufort County, per FEMA's National Risk Index, are hurricane (Very High), coastal flooding (Relatively High) and earthquake (Relatively Moderate). Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Beaufort County had 45,343 active National Flood Insurance Program policies as of September 2026. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in South Carolina is $1,753 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $455,600 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1999 |
| Owner-occupied share | 76% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 59% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hurricane (Very High), Coastal Flooding (Relatively High), Earthquake (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 45,343 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,753 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
Sources
Data last updated: 2026-09-29
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)