Townapedia

Laurel Bay, South Carolina

Laurel Bay is a community of 5,882 people in Beaufort County, South Carolina.

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Population5,882 -4.0% since 2019
Elevation36 ft 11 m
Land area4.2 sq mi
ZIP code29906
Nearest airportBeaufort Executive Airport (BFT) 9 mi

Why visit Laurel Bay

Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark and 4 parks and trails in and around town.

Highlights include Little Barnwell Island.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 40°F.

About Laurel Bay

Laurel Bay is a census-designated place and military housing complex in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,891 at the 2010 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Laurel Bay is included within the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

From the Wikipedia article Laurel Bay, South Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Museums and landmarks1

Little Barnwell Island

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi

Archeological site in South Carolina, United States

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Parks, trails and playgrounds4

Burton Wells County Park

Park · 2.0 mi

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Burton Wells Park

Park · 1.9 mi

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Freedom Sound Park

Park · 0.7 mi

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Laurel Bay Trail Entrance

Park · 0.8 mi

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Churches and places of worship3

Laurel Bay Church

Church

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Little Laurel Bay Church

Church · 1.0 mi

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Rose Hill Church

Church · 1.4 mi

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Shopping1

Food Lion

Grocery · 1.1 mi

350 Shanklin Road, Beaufort

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History

Chester Field, located within the housing area, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

In February 2015, two former Laurel Bay residents expressed health concerns that their children are sick from leukemia cancer by living in the area on YouTube. The housing, in the past, had used heating oil storage tanks for access to heating oil and after the oil was replaced, the tanks were capped and filled with dirt while underground. Starting in 2007, all of the tanks were removed but some heating oil was released. These former residents are worried that benzene vapor, a known carcinogen, from the leaked heating oil made their kids sick. The Marine Corps performed testing at most of the sites and the soil gas tests so far are "within acceptable limits" and SC DHEC data indicates that the 29906 zip code, which includes all of Laurel Bay Housing, does not show an increased rate of cancer.

From the History section of Laurel Bay, South Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Schools, colleges and libraries11

Map of Laurel Bay

20 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

40°60°80°January: 2.9 in of rainFebruary: 2.9 in of rainMarch: 3.1 in of rainApril: 3.1 in of rainMay: 2.5 in of rainJune: 5.0 in of rainJuly: 5.6 in of rainAugust: 6.5 in of rainSeptember: 4.0 in of rainOctober: 3.8 in of rainNovember: 2.5 in of rainDecember: 3.2 in of rainJanuary: 60°FFebruary: 64°FMarch: 70°FApril: 77°FMay: 84°FJune: 89°FJuly: 92°FAugust: 90°FSeptember: 86°FOctober: 78°FNovember: 69°FDecember: 63°FJanuary: 40°FFebruary: 43°FMarch: 49°FApril: 56°FMay: 64°FJune: 71°FJuly: 74°FAugust: 74°FSeptember: 70°FOctober: 59°FNovember: 48°FDecember: 43°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRainSnow
Jan60°F40°F2.9 in0.0 in
Feb64°F43°F2.9 in0.0 in
Mar70°F49°F3.1 in0.0 in
Apr77°F56°F3.1 in0.0 in
May84°F64°F2.5 in0.0 in
Jun89°F71°F5.0 in0.0 in
Jul92°F74°F5.6 in0.0 in
Aug90°F74°F6.5 in0.0 in
Sep86°F70°F4.0 in0.0 in
Oct78°F59°F3.8 in0.0 in
Nov69°F48°F2.5 in0.0 in
Dec63°F43°F3.2 in0.0 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Beaufort Mcas (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$54,345median household income
$231,800median home value
$1,454median monthly rent
23.0median age
19.3%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
22.5%of homes are owner-occupied
28.0 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1836%18 to 3442%35 to 6417%65 and over5%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Beaufort County has had 21 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.

  • 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
  • 2024-09-29: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
  • 2024-09-29: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
  • 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
  • 2024-08-05: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
  • 2023-08-31: Hurricane Idalia (Hurricane)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Beaufort Executive Airport (BFT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.