Median rent is 19% lower in Hilton Head Island ($1,479/mo vs $1,821/mo). Buying is cheaper in Hilton Head Island, where the median home runs $687,400 versus $777,600. Households earn more in Hilton Head Island ($94,657 vs $80,483 a year).
City A
Hilton Head Island, SC
City B
New York, NY
How much would you need to earn in New York, NY to maintain your standard of living from Hilton Head Island, SC?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Hilton Head Island
South Carolina
New York
New York
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Hilton Head Island at $1,479/mo compared to $1,821/mo in New York (19% gap). Median home values are within 12% of each other: $687,400 in Hilton Head Island and $777,600 in New York.
Metric
Hilton Head Island
New York
Software Developer
Registered Nurse
Elementary Teacher
Electrician
Accountant
Higher wage highlighted · BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Hilton Head Island
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
New York
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for New York (avg AQI 46.0) but not yet for Hilton Head Island.
Pick Hilton Head Island if you prioritize higher median household income ($94,657/yr).
Pick Hilton Head Island if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,479/mo median).
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Median rent is $1,479/mo in Hilton Head Island, SC and $1,821/mo in New York, NY. Hilton Head Island, SC has the lower rent by about 19%.
Median household income is $94,657 in Hilton Head Island, SC and $80,483 in New York, NY. Hilton Head Island, SC has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
