How much salary do I need to buy a house in Hilton Head Island, SC?

About $165,282 gross per year to buy the typical $523,548 home in Hilton Head Island, SC at today's 7.28% 30-year rate with 10% down — roughly $3,857/month (principal, interest, taxes, insurance) under the 28% rule.

Can the typical resident afford a home in Hilton Head Island, SC?

Local median income data is unavailable for Hilton Head Island, SC.

WhereCanIAfford › Metros › Hilton Head Island, SC

Salary needed to buy a home in Hilton Head Island, SC

$165,282/yr is the income needed to buy the typical $523,548 home in Hilton Head Island, SC at today's 7.28% rate — about $3,857/mo.

The math (shown)

523,548 price − 10% down (52,355) = 471,193 loan

30-yr fixed at 7.28% on 471,193 = 3,224/mo principal+interest

+ 633/mo est. taxes+insurance (1.45%/yr of value — national placeholder)

3,857/mo PITI ÷ 0.28 = 13,774/mo → 165,282/yr required

Verified 2026-10-08 against Zillow ZHVI 2026-08 (Zillow ZHVI (typical home value, smoothed, all-homes 33–67pct tier)) and the 7.28% FRED 30-yr rate (2026-10-01). Honest null: Census fetch failed: The operation was aborted

Can I afford Hilton Head Island, SC on my salary?

Your salary:

Rent vs own here

Honest null: HUD FMR needs a free huduser.gov token (env.HUD_TOKEN). Honest-null until set. (HUD FMR needs a free token; not wired here.)

FAQ

How much do I need to make to live in Hilton Head Island, SC?: To buy the typical home, about $165,282/yr. Renting needs less; this page sizes the buy.
What home value is this based on?: Zillow's ZHVI typical-home-value for the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro (2026-08): $523,548.
Is the mortgage rate current?: Yes — 7.28% from FRED's weekly 30-year fixed average (2026-10-01).

Glossary

ZHVI: Zillow Home Value Index — the typical home value for a region (35th–65th percentile, smoothed, seasonally adjusted).
Front-end DTI: Housing payment as a share of gross income; lenders commonly cap it near 28%.
PITI: Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance — the full monthly housing cost.

For Hilton Head Island, SC: FIRE number → · take-home vs another city → · is there a better town for you? →

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