Beaufort : South carolina

What Beaufort is like for active adults

The Old South lives on in the quaint seaside charm of Beaufort (pronounced b'yoofurt), South Carolina. Known as the “Queen of the Carolina Sea Islands”, this popular retirement community of 11,000 was discovered by the Spanish in 1514 and chartered by the British in 1711. It lies in the Sea Islands or “Low Country” area of South Carolina, just north of Hilton Head. 304 acres of the town have been designated as a National Historic Landmark. That history is reflected in the horse-drawn carriages that roll along streets in the town’s charming historic district that are overhung with Spanish moss The area offers a laid back atmosphere that most people find very relaxing.

There are 3 major military installations here that provide a solid economic underpinning and a lowering of the average age in the area. Those include the U.S. Marine Corps Recruitment Depot at Parris Island, the Naval Air Station, and the Beaufort naval hospital.

The area has developing rapidly with many upscale communities aimed at baby boomers and adults 55+ looking for vacation and retirement homes. Most of these new planned communities are heavily oriented towards golf. There are many nice homes within or near the town as well. The housing crunch has slowed the pace of development here considerably. The Zillow Home Value Index was $196,000 in September 2009.

Beaufort is located in Beaufort County. Savannah is 39 miles away. Here is more information about what it is like to retire in South Carolina. Photo of downtown waterfront courtesy of Wikipedia and Cdamgen.

Edit | History

What is special about this retirement community

• Charming old town in the Low Country • Numberous awards as "Best Small Southern Town", "Small Town Arts", and "Best Fishing Town "• Proximity to Hilton Head Island and Savannah • Luxurious golf course communities • The town has 304 acres designated as a National Historic Landmark • Milder winters •Second oldest city in South Carolina

Edit | History

What is not special about this retirement community

• It can be over run by tourists in season • Not for people in the fast lane •See comment in Medical section.

Edit | History

What kinds of people like retiring here

Beaufort attracts a community of people who either want to live in a charming old river town or expensive new golfing communities. The presence of so many military personnel creates a younger and more diverse atmosphere than in some comparable communities.

Edit | History

Local economy is driven by

Tourism, the military’s 3 installations here, and real estate are important to the economy.

Edit | History

Climate and Physical Environment

Beaufort is located on Port Royal Island and the Beaufort River. This area between Charleston and Savannah is often referred to as the Sea Islands or Low Country because it has so much water and so little elevation. This diverse city has a mild climate in the winter - the average January low is 39 and the average July high is 91. August is the rainiest month.

Edit | History

Cultural environment

Beaufort has many art galleries and has won numerous awards as an arts town. Additionally there is the Arts Council of Beaufort County with its 12,000 square foot community arts center, the Beaufort Orchestra Society, the University of SC-Beaufort's Performing Arts Center, and the Penn Center. Nearby Hilton Head Island has cultural opportunities, as does nearby Savannah.

Edit | History

Medical facilities

Beaufort Memorial Hospital. Hilton Head Hospital is 17 miles away. One visitor to Topretirements wrote in: "Is there a rheumatologist in the area? THe answer is: not between Charleston SC and Savannah, GA - about a 100 mile stretch."

Edit | History

Transportation

Savannah/Hilton Head International (42 Miles), and 2 smaller airports are closer

Edit | History

Was this review helpful?

Yes

Please share your opinions on this community in the Forum
Register to become a Site Guide to Edit these sections or Add a Community If you have suggestions on how Topretirements.com could improve these reviews, contact us.
Suggest a community we want to know about your top retirement spots

Please note that all contributions to Topretirements may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you don't want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then don't submit it here. By submitting content and/or photographs here you agree to give Topretirements.com the rights to use them in any manner without cost or attribution.You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Project:Copyrights for details). DO NOT SUBMIT COPYRIGHTED WORK WITHOUT PERMISSION!

Forward to a Friend | print

Facts about BEAUFORT

State: SC
Environment: College Town,Coastal,Small Town,
City Population: 10,000-25,000
Median age of Population: 25-44
Avg Jan Temperature: 41-60
Median HH Income: 41,001-60,000
Average Home Price (MLS): $100,000-$200,000
Annual Property Tax on a $200,000 house: Less than 2000
Total Crime Index: 111-120 (high)
Cost of Living Index: 101-110 (slightly above average)
Culture Index: 101-110 (slightly above average)
State Sales Tax: Yes
State Income Tax: Yes
Name of the Guide: jb

Can you add to or correct these Facts? Or do you have a photo of this community we could use? If so, please click on Edit these facts

Vote on the Ratings for Beaufort

Total Ratings

1. Overall Retirement Ratings Discuss

Currently 0.00>/5
1
2
3
4
5