Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort (/ˈbjuːfərt/ BEW-fert, different from that of Beaufort, North Carolina) is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. Beaufort is known as the "Queen of the Carolina Sea Islands". The city's population was 13,607 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton metropolitan area.
Beaufort, South Carolina | |
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Bay Street, Downtown Beaufort | |
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Seal | |
Interactive map of Beaufort | |
Beaufort Location within South Carolina Beaufort Location within the United States | |
| Coordinates: 32°26′N 80°41′W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | South Carolina |
| County | Beaufort |
| Incorporated | 1711 |
| Named for | Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Stephen Murray |
| Area | |
| • City | 25.32 sq mi (65.58 km2) |
| • Land | 24.43 sq mi (63.28 km2) |
| • Water | 0.89 sq mi (2.29 km2) |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • City | 13,607 |
| • Density | 556.89/sq mi (215.01/km2) |
| • Urban | 52,515 (US: 487th) |
| • Urban density | 1,200.1/sq mi (463.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 29901-29907 |
| Area codes | 843, 854 |
| FIPS code | 45-04690 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1245003 |
| Website | www |
Beaufort is located on Port Royal Island, in the heart of the Sea Islands and South Carolina Lowcountry. The city is renowned for its scenic location and for maintaining a historic character by preservation of its antebellum architecture. The prominent role of Beaufort and the surrounding Sea Islands during the Reconstruction era after the U.S. Civil War is memorialized by the Reconstruction Era National Monument, established in 2017. The city is also known for its military establishments, being located in close proximity to Parris Island and a U.S. naval hospital, in addition to being home of the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.