Pawleys Island, South Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 170, Pawleys 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

Pawleys Island is a small community located in South Carolina, within Georgetown County. The total population is 170. It ranks as the 421st most populous out of 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Pawleys Island is 68.3 years. This is 70% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. Only 1.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 19.4% 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 Pawleys Island is $122,500. This is 77% higher than the state median of $69,324. It is also 52% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.8%. This is 55% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Pawleys Island, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $1,694,400. Housing costs are 554% higher than the state median of $259,000. The home-value-to-income ratio of 13.8x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 97.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 36% higher than the state average of 71.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Pawleys Island has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 98.8% of all residents. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (98.8% vs 61.9%).

Education

88.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Pawleys Island in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 174% 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 99.4%. Notably, 48.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Pawleys 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.