Media General-tower-Awendaw-SC, 2006
Awendaw’s story
330 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,195 in 2000, 1,399 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1943 on.
- 1696Awendaw is settled
AwendawSC
Population
1,502
2025 Census estimate · +6.8% since 2020
Typical home
$855K
+1.5% in a year
Household income
$77K
median
Median age
54.5
years
Jobs based here
266
A commuter town
Is Awendaw a good place to live?
Awendaw’s best subject grade is an A for schools; its weakest is a D− for hazard risk. 10% of residents are under 18 in Awendaw, below both the South Carolina town median (22%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). Only 24 of South Carolina’s 263 towns score lower on hazard risk. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 70% of U.S. towns. 14% of the land in Awendaw is conserved, against 1.8% in South Carolina’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. On the outdoors, just 20 of South Carolina’s 263 towns do better. The biggest park or preserve is Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, at 42 acres. Awendaw has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Awendaw stand out
Where Awendaw beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
How Awendaw grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Awendaw is from typical.
Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listD−Open →SchoolsBeat 86% of South Carolina districts on tests and graduationAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.2 of 20; 6.2% of households have no car; 1.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →HealthHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns; Mount Pleasant Hospital 9.2 miles awayBOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $855K, 10 years of the Charleston metro’s $85K median household incomeC+Open →Jobs & income$77K median household incomeC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors10 miles of trailsB+Open →HistoryDOpen →Civic life3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 54.5; 43% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 32 attractions →USS Yorktown and 28 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Awendaw. Close and well known come first.
Big draw19 mi MuseumUSS Yorktown
Big draw19 mi MuseumH. L. Hunley
19 mi MuseumUSS Laffey
30 mi Park & preserveAngel Oak
22 mi LandmarkFort Wagner
19 mi LandmarkFort MoultrieSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
USS Yorktown: David Ratledge, CC BY 4.0 · H. L. Hunley: Sepia wash drawing by R.G. Skerrett, 1902, after a painting then held by the Con, Public domain · USS Laffey: U.S. Navy, Public domain · Angel Oak: Galen Parks Smith, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Wagner: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Fort Moultrie: Dima Sergiyenko; Please attribute this image as the work of "DiscoverWithDima.", CC BY-SA 4.0
_Island_-_Mount_Pleasant,_South_Carolina_-_December_29,_2012.jpg){kind=link}
_underway_at_sea_on_26_March_1964_(USN_1100870).jpg){kind=link}
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Awendaw: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Awendaw, and how to reach them.
PowerDominion Energy South Carolina16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAwendaw Town of (Sc1010504) water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpCharleston County Awendaw Recycling CenterIn townOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn South Carolina you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCharleston Board of Voter RegistrationCharleston County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2026
ZIP code2942929429 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Awendaw.
HousingCost of living grade C+
Awendaw stands out in South Carolina and nationally, with more of its households who own their home
94% of households own their home in Awendaw. The typical Awendaw home is worth about $855,000, up 1.5% in a year, 3 times the South Carolina typical home.
$855KZillow home value
Typical home value
Awendaw$855K
South Carolina$304K
+1.5%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Awendaw faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by hurricanes
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 95% of U.S. communities. Since 2004, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Awendaw.
95risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingEarthquakes
6
paid flood claims since 2004
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Most of Awendaw’s workers commute out: the town has 0.4 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Awendaw for work: only 2% work in town. Awendaw’s average trip to work is 31 minutes. Since 2013, Awendaw has added 83 jobs, to 266 in 2023.
2%work in town
| Awendaw | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.3% | 6.1% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 17% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $77,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Awendaw2%
Mount Pleasant25%
North Charleston19%
Charleston18%
McClellanville2%
22 mi
median commute distance
266
jobs based in Awendaw
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 30% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Awendaw, expect mild winters and hot summers
Awendaw has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Awendaw is 90°F.
90°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter41–61°
Spring55–75°
Summer72–89°
Fall58–77°
Nov 21
typical first frost
Mar 17
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
90°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
14.3%conserved
14.3%
conserved · 1,561 of 10,900 acres
9.6 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge | — | 42 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB
Compared with most of South Carolina and the rest of the country, fewer of Awendaw’s adults have been diagnosed with depression
19% of Awendaw adults have been diagnosed with depression. Awendaw beats the South Carolina average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 16% of Awendaw adults have diabetes.
64%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Awendaw | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 23% | 23% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 12% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 83% | 80% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 16% |
32 measures vs. South Carolina
6 better24 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Awendaw | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 9% | 11.8% |
| Fewer adults in frequent mental distress | 14% | 16.4% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.7% | 3.9% |
Mount Pleasant Hospital
9.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Awendaw
18pages on Awendaw
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Awendaw; the nearest are
American College of the Building ArtsUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Charleston20.3 mi$21,500 tuitionCollege of CharlestonUniversity or college · Public · Charleston20.8 mi$12,978 in-state tuitionTrident Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Charleston22 mi$4,546 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 Awendaw residents are enrolled in college, about the same as South Carolina.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Awendaw for work
Where Awendaw’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
266jobs based in Awendaw
2%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Awendaw
Town in South Carolina, United States
Awendaw ( AW-win-daw) is a small fishing town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Awendaw had a population of 1,399. Awendaw is part of the Charleston, South Carolina metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1992
- Area
- 9.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 20 ft
- ZIP code
- 29429
- Area code
- 843
Awendaw’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Awendaw.
Mount PleasantAwendaw
How the neighbors grade
| Town | SC rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awendaw | — | — | C+ | — | A | B |
| Mount Pleasant | #21 | B+ | D | B− | A | A+ |
Awendaw has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Awendaw reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Awendaw with a neighbor →
Questions about Awendaw
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Awendaw, SC expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.