Beaufort County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.9 | 198,979 people · 44th most distressed in South Carolina
American Default Research

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Beaufort County, SC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.9 — 1911th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within South Carolina, it ranks 44th of 46 counties. It scores lower than all 3 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Beaufort County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 67.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 67.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 43
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Employment & Wages 58.6
Unemployment Rate 69
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 96
Business Formation Rate 10
Debt & Delinquency 44.3
Debt in Collections 39
Medical Debt 71
Student Loan Delinquency 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 59
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23
Community Vulnerability 41.6
Uninsured Rate 53
Disability Rate 30
Income & Poverty 17.3
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 30

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Beaufort County compares to its 3 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Beaufort County
Beaufort County, SC 45.9 Normal —
Colleton County, SC 72.0 Serious +26.2
Hampton County, SC 70.9 Serious +25.0
Jasper County, SC 61.4 Elevated +15.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Beaufort County
Northumberland County, PA 45.9 Normal +0.1
Knox County, OH 46.0 Normal +0.1
Monroe County, IN 46.0 Normal +0.1
Steuben County, NY 46.0 Normal +0.1
Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK 45.8 Normal -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Beaufort County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Beaufort County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Beaufort County.

CCCS OF THE SAVANNAH AREA, INC.- SC BRANCH
Beaufort
843-379-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in South Carolina →

Find an Attorney

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 803-799-7100

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Beaufort County residents at no cost.

SC Legal Services (Palmetto Legal Services / Greater Columbia Community Relations Council) 1-888-346-5592
Upstate Legal Services 864-679-3232
Pro Bono Legal Services — SC Bar 803-799-6653
Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services 843-853-3304
South Carolina Legal Services, Inc. (888) 346-5592

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in South Carolina →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Beaufort County, South Carolina?

    Beaufort County has a County Distress Index score of 45.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,911th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Beaufort County?

    The primary driver of distress in Beaufort County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 67.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Beaufort County compare to neighboring counties?

    Beaufort County (45.9) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Colleton County, SC (72.0); Hampton County, SC (70.9); Jasper County, SC (61.4).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Beaufort County?

    Beaufort County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 198,979 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.