Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 16,648, settled in 1861.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Port Royal grades B overall, ranked 35th of 167 in South Carolina. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 86% of the country. The catch is cost: the typical home is worth about $362K, 4.3 years of the Hilton Head Island metro’s $83K median household income. Port Royal’s average trip to work is 14 minutes, where South Carolina’s towns sit at 24 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. On hazard risk, just 4 of South Carolina’s 263 towns do worse. Port Royal's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 94% of U.S. towns.
Where Port Royal beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| Widest gap | Port Royal | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 7.7% | 13.9% |
10,678 counted in 2010 and 14,220 in 2020; an estimated 16,648 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 15% since 2020, after 33.2% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Port Royal is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 170 in 1880, a low of 170 in 1880, 14,220 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1790 and 3 maps from 1944 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Port Royal, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Port Royal.
Port Royal fares better on crime within South Carolina than nationally and has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of South Carolina (mostly hurricanes).
Only 38.1% of households own their home, against 71.9% across South Carolina.
Adults 18 to 34 are 49% of residents (22% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 23% of residents (38% statewide). Port Royal’s median age is 25.1 years. Port Royal has grown 15% since 2020, to 16,648 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Port Royal | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.1 years | 38.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 8.9% | 17% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 38% | 23% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 18% | 22% | 22% |
43% women, 57% men
About 133 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.6 points). Across South Carolina, 51.3% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 73% are men (SC 51%). Median age: women 29.8, men 22.9.
| Port Royal | SC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.1% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 31.4% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 17.9% | 12.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.1% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.5% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 6.8% | 13.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 5.6% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.3% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.7% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 20.9% | 28.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.7% | 19.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.2% | 10% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.4% | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 19% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Bridges Preparatory School, with 1,472 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverview Charter SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 694 | A− |
| Bridges Preparatory SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 1,472 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 95% of South Carolina towns, with expected losses of about $650 per resident a year; that rating is what its D− for hazard risk is built on.
The FEMA risk score in Port Royal is 98 of 100. Since 2016, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Port Royal.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
25% of Port Royal adults have high blood pressure. Only 1 of the 169 South Carolina towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have diabetes than Port Royal. 29% of Port Royal adults have obesity.
| Port Royal | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 15% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 40% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 7.7% | 15% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 14% |
| What stands out | Port Royal | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 7.7% | 13.9% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 3.9% | 6.8% |
| More binge drinkers | 23.7% | 15.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The average commute for its 3,676 working residents takes 14.4 minutes, against 25.6 across South Carolina. Jobs based here grew from 1,742 in 2013 to 2,418.
Most working residents leave Port Royal for work: only 7% work in town. Jobs based in Port Royal grew to 2,418 in 2023, 676 more than in 2013. 8.4% of residents live below the poverty line in Port Royal.
| Port Royal | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 17% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $75,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 12% | 8.6% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
9.5 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves.
| Port Royal | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.4% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cypress Wetlands | — | 14 |
| 2. 4th Bn Park | — | 13 |
| 3. Enlisted Beach Park | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
January nights average 40.8°, milder than in 95% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 90.6°.
Among 169 South Carolina towns, just 3 have a higher January low than Port Royal. Port Royal has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Port Royal | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 41°F | 34°F | 22°F |
| July high | 91°F | 91°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Home values rose 46% in five years, to about $362K, against 24% across South Carolina. The median property tax bill is $2,010, against $1,251 across South Carolina, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Typical home values rose 6.9% in the year to September 2026. Among 166 South Carolina towns, just 7 have a higher median rent than Port Royal.
| Port Royal | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 38% | 65% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,726 a month | $1,058 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
At 18.1 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 87% of South Carolina’s graded towns. Violent crime is rare: 24 reported in 2025, 1.4 per 1,000 residents.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Port Royal. Close and well known come first.
in town Ancient siteCharlesfort-Santa Elena Site
30 mi MuseumMercer House
25 mi National MonumentFort Pulaski National Monument321K visitors a year
30 mi MuseumSorrel–Weed House
15 mi State parkHunting Island State Park
34 mi State parkWormsloe Historic SiteCharlesfort-Santa Elena Site: Arman Manookian, Public domain · Mercer House: Kyle Kesselring from Canal Winchester, OH, CC BY 2.0 · Fort Pulaski National Monument: Edibobb, CC BY 3.0 · Sorrel–Weed House: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hunting Island State Park: The original uploader was Cdamgen at English Wikipedia., Public domain · Wormsloe Historic Site: Bubba73, CC BY-SA 3.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Port Royal
About 7 of every 100 Port Royal residents are enrolled in college, about the same as South Carolina.
Where Port Royal’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
3 places in Port Royal on the National Register of Historic Places.
Town in South Carolina, United States
Port Royal is a town on Port Royal Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 14,220 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hilton Head Island metropolitan area. Port Royal is home to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and United States Naval Hospital Beaufort.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
3 towns share a border with Port Royal.
| Town | SC rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Royal | #35 | B | C− | B− | B+ | A |
| Burton | #52 | B− | B | — | B+ | B− |
| Shell Point | — | — | B+ | — | B+ | A− |
| Beaufort | #88 | C | C+ | D | B+ | A− |
Shell Point has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Burton and Shell Point report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Port Royal with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Port Royal grades B overall, better than 63% of U.S. towns and #35 of 167 in South Carolina. It grades A for health, B− for safety and B+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
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