| Measure | Hilton Head IslandSouth Carolina, United States Remove Hilton Head Island | RaleighNorth Carolina, United States Remove Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 5.9 | 7.3 |
| Connector Score | 7.3 | 8.4 |
| Safety | — | 6.3 |
| Affordability | 4.5 | 6.2 |
| Transportation | 9.5 | 10.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 7.0 | 8.5 |
| Walkability | 6.8 | 8.3 |
| Things to do | 4.9 | 7.0 |
| Food & dining | 5.4 | 6.9 |
| Places to stay | 5.2 | 6.7 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 5.5 |
| Scenic value | 5.8 | 5.5 |
| Family friendliness | 4.7 | 5.3 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.8 | 6.8 |
| Nightlife | 3.1 | 8.3 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.0 | 6.2 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.0 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.5 | 8.8 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 7.3 | 8.0 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $170 | $174 |
| Mid-range | $265 | $278 |
| Luxury | $497 | $533 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 120 | 103 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,700 | $1,209 |
| Population | 38K | 503K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Ferry Airport | Drive Train Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Hilton Head Island | — | 6 h 33 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Car-free travel, Beaches, History | Car-free travel, Nightlife, History |
| Known for | Beaches, Historic sites, Food scene | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Nightlife, Live music |
| When to go | Peak: Summer, spring break and RBC Heritage w… | — |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.