Sullivan's Island, South Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Sullivan's Island is a small community located in South Carolina, within Charleston County. The total population is 2,087. It ranks as the 190th most populous out of 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Sullivan's Island is 52.5 years. This is 31% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Sullivan's Island is $192,813. This is 178% higher than the state median of $69,324. It is also 139% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.8%. This is 37% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. The unemployment rate is 1.5%. This is 70% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $2,000,000+. Housing costs are 672% higher than the state median of $259,000. The home-value-to-income ratio of 10.4x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 85.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 71.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Sullivan's Island has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (96.5% vs 61.9%). The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 24.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.6%) is well below the state average of 7.4%.

Education

84.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Sullivan's Island in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 162% 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 99.8%. Notably, 44.7% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Sullivan's 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.