Fripp Island, South Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 752, Fripp Island's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Fripp Island is a small community located in South Carolina, within Beaufort County. The total population is 752. It ranks as the 302nd most populous out of 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fripp Island is 65.1 years. This is 62% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. 21.0% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fripp Island is $102,778. This is 48% higher than the state median of $69,324. It is also 27% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 0.5%. This is 96% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 2.1%. This is 58% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $671,300. Housing costs are 159% higher than the state median of $259,000. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.5x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 98.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 37% higher than the state average of 71.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Fripp Island has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.8% vs 61.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 1.8%.

Education

57.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Fripp Island in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 78% higher than the state rate of 32.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 99.6%. Notably, 26.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Fripp Island, South Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against South Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.