Cost of living in Laurel Bay research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Laurel Bay is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in South Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Laurel Bay is 102, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Laurel Bay is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Laurel Bay ranks as the #72 cheapest in South Carolina out of 99.
Laurel Bay ranks as the #2,846 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Laurel Bay is $282,626.
The median income in Laurel Bay is $52,094.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Laurel Bay has an overall cost of living index of 102, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to South Carolina, Laurel Bay has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than South Carolina's index of 93.
The standard of living in Laurel Bay ranks as #72 most affordable out of the 99 places we measured in South Carolina. By definition, that implies Laurel Bay ranks as the #27 most expensive place in the Palmetto State.
For more reading on life in Laurel Bay, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Laurel Bay. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Laurel Bay is 104.
The Groceries index in Laurel Bay is 101.
The Health index in Laurel Bay is 101.
The Housing index in Laurel Bay is 98.
The Transportation index in Laurel Bay is 97.
The Utilities index in Laurel Bay is 93.
| Living Expense | Laurel Bay | South Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 102 | 93 | 100 | |
| Services | 104 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 101 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 101 | 92 | 100 | |
| Housing | 98 | 81 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 97 | 92 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 93 | 109 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in South Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Laurel Bay is $282,626.
The Median Rent in Laurel Bay is $1,375.
The Median Income in Laurel Bay is $52,094.
The Home Value To Income in Laurel Bay is 5.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Laurel Bay is 0.32x.
| Statistic | Laurel Bay | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $282,626 | $302,294 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,375 | $1,126 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $52,094 | $66,818 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.4x | 4.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.32x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Laurel Bay | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.21 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.5 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $22.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.56 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $53.61 | $45.56 |
| Item | Laurel Bay | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.79 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.45 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.6 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.52 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.68 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.5 | $3.7 |
| Item | Laurel Bay | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $200.92 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $126.2 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $104.0 | $113.29 |
| Item | Laurel Bay | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.24 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $63.17 | $59.92 |
| Item | Laurel Bay | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $180.25 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.25 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Laurel Bay. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Hilton Head Island, SC has a cost of living index of 138, 1.4x Laurel Bay.
Bluffton, SC has a cost of living index of 123, 1.2x Laurel Bay.
Port Royal, SC has a cost of living index of 111, 1.1x Laurel Bay.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Laurel Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island, SC | 37,805 | 138 | 1.4x |
| Bluffton, SC | 31,323 | 123 | 1.2x |
| Port Royal, SC | 15,047 | 111 | 1.1x |
| Beaufort, SC | 13,660 | 107 | 1.0x |
| Hardeeville, SC | 9,293 | 120 | 1.2x |
| Burton, SC | 7,132 | 94 | 0.9x |