sea pines lighthouse

orange sunset

Relocation

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Schools

The Beaufort County School District is made up of 17 elementary schools, 5 middle schools and 4 high schools. The School District is governed by a citizen school board of 11 elected members. Additionally, there are 2 colleges - USCB, University of South Carolina, Beaufort and Low Country Technical College.

As of 2006 the Beaufort County School District received an absolute rating of “average” for the sixth consecutive year on the state's report card issued by the South Carolina Department of Education. However, student's ACT scores topped those in the state and “Newsweek” named Beaufort High and Hilton Head High -2 district high schools- in their “Best High Schools in America”, putting these facilities in the top five percent of 28,000 public U.S. high schools.

bronze sunset

There are over 18,000 students in the Beaufort County School District creating a student teacher ratio of 16:1. Over 55% of Beaufort County teachers hold advanced degrees or specialized training certifications. Student achievement on standardized tests has risen 40% since 1990 and the district's Scholastic Assessment Test scores have, in the last seven years, risen more than 23 points.

In 2006, 45.7% of students were white, 37.4% were African American, 14.8% were Hispanic, .9% were Asian-Pacific Islander, .1% were American Indian and 1.1% were “Other”.

District students had a graduation rate of 69.9% and a drop-out rate of 1.7%. District teacher retention rate was 88.4% compared with South Carolina’s state average of 83.3% and had an average of 13 years experience.

Beaufort County School District student's average SAT college entrance exam scores in 2006 were 482 for critical reading, 483 for math and 470 for the written portion. The state of South Carolina was 486, 500, and 478 respectively.

Hilton Head Island has numerous private education facilities as well. Hilton Head Prepatory School and Hilton Head Christian Academy accommodate grades 1-12. St. Francis Catholic School educates K-8, Sea Pines' Montessori School- 18 months to 6th grade, and Heritage Academy- grades 6-12.

Government

Hilton Head Island is a council- manager form of government, with six council members and one mayor. The council and the mayor serve four-year staggered terms. Hilton Head Island is situated within Beaufort County, which also employs a council-manager form of government. Beaufort County has 11 council members, each serving a four-year single district term.

Town of Hilton Head Island

One Town Center Court
Hilton Head Island, 29928.....341-4600

Beaufort County Annex

Three Town Center Court
Hilton Head Island, 29928.....842-4221

Beaufort County Council

PO Drawer 1228
Beaufort, 29901.....785-6100

Bluffton Town Hall

Bluffton, 29910.....706-4500

Magistrates Office

.....842-4260

Auto and Real Estate Taxes

.....842-4202 or 842-4206

Business Licenses

.....341-4610

Clemson Extension Services

.....842-4221 or 726-3470

Marriage Licenses

.....470-5319

Social Security Office

.....842-4221 or 524-5795

Dept. of Social Services

.....842-4246

Veterans Administration

.....842-4208

Neighborhood Legal Assistance

.....838-5001

Voter Registration

Beaufort County Registrar’s Office
PO Box 1228
Beaufort, 29901.....525-7100

Hilton Head Office

.....341-4625

Drivers’ Licenses and Auto Tags

South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles

15 Sheridan Circle
PO Box 385
Bluffton, 29910.....815-6981 or 800-442-1368
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30am to 5pm

Postal Services

Bluffton.....757-3588

Bow Circle/Main Office

.....800-275-8777

William Hilton Parkway

.....800-275-8777

Harbour Town

.....800-275-8777

Libraries

Bluffton Community Library

120 Palmetto Way Bluffton, 29910.....757-1519

Hilton Head Island Library

11 Beach City Road
Hilton Head Island, 29926......342-9200

Emergency

Emergency and Health Care Services

For all emergencies.....911

Bluffton Fire and Rescue.....757-2800

Bluffton Police Department.....706-4550

FBI

(Beaufort).....525-0858

Hilton Head Regional Medical Center

Hospital Center Blvd.
Hilton Head Island.....681-6122

Hilton Head Island Fire and Resue Division Patrol

(Beaufort) Administration....341-4710

Communications....341-4720

Sheriff’s Department

.....785-3618

Daytime.....689-4300

State Highway Patrol

.....524-0163

Communication

Communications Cable Service

Time Warner Cable

12 Pope Ave.
Hilton Head Island 29938......785-5175

Hargray

Calhoun & Bridge Street
Bluffton 29938......815-1600

Newspapers & Magazines

Newspapers, magazines, all entertainment and activities guides, and real estate magazines are offered in stands around the Island.

Bluffton Today

1316 Fording Island Road
Bluffton 29910......837-5255

The Island Packet

10 Buck Island Road
Hilton Head Island 29938......706-8100

The Business Report and Journal

7 Drayton Street, Ste 300
Savannah, GA 31401......912-231-1110

Utilities

Palmetto Electric Cooperative

111 Matthews Drive
Hilton Head Island 29925.....681-5551

1 Cooperative Way
Bluffton 29910.....208-5551

Telephone

Hargray

856 William Hilton Parkway
Hilton Head Island 29938.....686-5000

Recycling and Waste Removal / Pick-up Convenience Center

Convenience Center

26 Summit Road
Hilton Head Island 29928.....681-3731

Open Everyday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Except Holidays

What is accepted at the Convenience Center:

Bagged household garbage

Bulky items: furniture, toys, and bulky household items Clear glass, brown glass and green glass Aluminum and steel cans Plastic # 1 & 2 (sodas, water bottles, milk jugs, detergent bottles, etc.

Newspapers, magazines, cardboard, white office paper, pasteboard and mixed paper

Tires, batteries, oil and appliances

Water and Sewer Service

Broad Creek Public Service District 3

Marinaside Drive
Hilton Head Island 29938...785-7582

Hilton Head No. 1 Public Service District

21 Oak Park Plaza
Hilton Head Island 29926...681-5525

Taxes

Income Tax:

Exemptions, adjustments and deductions allowed on a federal income tax return are allowed on a state return. A person's federal taxable income is the starting point to determine tax liability.

Deductions:

In the first year retirement income is received, taxpayers may claim an income tax deduction of up to $3,000 of retirement income. When taxpayers turn 65, they may take a $10,000 deduction from retirement income.

Social Security:

Social Security benefits are exempt from income tax in South Carolina. If benefits were taxed at the federal level, that portion may be deducted from the South Carolina taxable income.

Property Tax:

South Carolina has a personal property tax on automobiles, recreational vehicles, airplanes and boats based on an assessed value of 10.5 percent of total purchase price. The assessed value is multiplied by the appropriate millage rate of the district in which the taxpayer resides. Hilton Head Island is divided into six districts with varying mileage rates.

Real estate taxes are based on an appraised value of property by the county tax assessor. The appraised value is computed on comparable sales, condition of property, etc. The appraised value is then multiplied by 4 percent for residents and 6 percent for non-resident property owners and corporations to obtain what is known as the assessed value. The assessed value is multiplied times the mileage rate for the appropriate district.

The first $20,000 of the fair market value of a home is exempt from property taxes for citizens who are 65 or older; citizens who are totally and permanently disabled; and citizens who are legally blind, if they have been a South Carolina resident for at least one year.

Sales Tax:

South Carolina has a 5 percent sales tax. Persons 85 years or older pay only 4 percent sales tax. nt. A maximum of $300 is imposed on purchases of motor vehicles, boats, and leased vehicles. There is a state-wide accomodations tax of 2 percent. Hilton Head Island imposes an additional 3 percent accommocations tax.

Estate Tax:

As of 1998, estates worth $675,000 or less will be exempt from estate tax in South Carolina. The exemption wasl increased annually until it reached $1 million in 2006.