Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0Folly Beach spent more per resident in 2022 than 98% of similar cities
Folly Beach’s city government spent $7.8 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $2,924 per resident. That is its newest year reported to the Census Bureau. Water and other utilities ($1.3 million) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Folly Beach is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$2,924 per resident in 2022: more than 98% of them
Folly Beach’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($2,924 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 43 South Carolina cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,137, and the middle half spent $694–$1,548. Folly Beach spent more than 98% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($2.1 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
South Carolina cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Folly Beach itself left out).
About $2,924 per resident a year, or $8.01 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 31%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Folly Beach reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau (2023 is an estimate), so there is no trend yet.
full-time in March 2025, up from 48 in 2022.
The typical homeowner pays $3,318 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.33% of the home’s value, vs 0.48% across South Carolina.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Folly Beach’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Folly Beach’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Folly Beach →
Who’s in charge in Folly Beach
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Folly Beach’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on cityoffollybeach.com ↗.
One full-time city employee for every 38 residents
On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (2,682).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Charleston County School District
Folly Beach’s K–12 school district, shared with Awendaw, Hollywood, Isle of Palms, James Island, Kiawah Island and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $18,199 per pupil, $9,517 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
South Carolina districts overall: 45% local, 43% state, 13% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Folly Beach’s votes are counted by county
South Carolina reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Folly Beach alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Charleston County’s results.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat51.9%111,427 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican46.3%99,265 votesOthers: 1.8% (3,829 votes).
Most votes in Charleston County: Kamala D Harris
South Carolina: Trump 58.2%, Harris 40.4%
100% of Folly Beach lies in Charleston County. Every 2024 race in Charleston County is on the county’s page.
Charleston County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Folly Beach.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: cityoffollybeach.com ↗
- 2South Carolina HouseState representatives
- 3South Carolina SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of South Carolina
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Folly Beach compares with the towns next door
Folly Beach spent $2,924 per resident in 2022. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | estimate | $2,214 |
| Folly Beach | $2,924 | $3,318 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Folly Beach’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Folly Beach’s government
How much does Folly Beach spend per resident?
About $2,924 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $2,924 was more than 98% of 43 South Carolina cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Folly Beach?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,318 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.33% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.48% across South Carolina. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityoffollybeach.com.
Who runs Folly Beach’s government?
See cityoffollybeach.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Folly Beach yet.
How did Folly Beach vote in 2024?
South Carolina counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Folly Beach alone. Charleston County, where 100% of Folly Beach lies, voted Harris 51.9%, Trump 46.3% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Folly Beach?
71 full-time and 24 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $398,294 (about $4.8M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Folly Beach in the state legislature?
Folly Beach is split among 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The South Carolina Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Folly Beach’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →