Beaufort County Medicare at a glance
| Beaufort County | South Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 58,041 | 1,037,931 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 29.2% | 19.3% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 62,550 | 1,294,203 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 20,371 | 604,910 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 32.6% | 46.7% statewide |
Sources: Census Bureau 2023 estimates and CMS Medicare Advantage penetration, September 2026.
With roughly 58,041 residents age 65 and older, Beaufort County is 6th among 46 South Carolina counties for older residents. That group is 29.2% of its population, compared with 19.3% across South Carolina. The 15,930 residents now between 60 and 64 will become Medicare-eligible soon, and our turning 65 guide walks through it. Census 2023 estimates show 56% of the 65-plus population is under 75, 35% is 75 to 84 and 9% is 85 or older. CMS data show 32.6% of Beaufort County residents with Medicare chose Medicare Advantage, which is lower than the 46.7% average across South Carolina. Averages cannot choose a plan for you. Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with a Medigap plan each suit different people, depending on doctors, medicines and how you prefer to handle costs, and we compare both at your ZIP code.
Who has Medicare in Beaufort County
Beaufort County is a metro county; the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes it as: counties in metro areas of fewer than 250,000 population. Metro counties usually have more hospitals and more insurers competing for Medicare members, so there can be more plans to compare.
CMS counts 61,276 Medicare beneficiaries in Beaufort County (2023). Their average age is 75, older than the South Carolina average of 73. About 2% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, lower than the state figure of 7%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Beaufort County, CMS reported about 498 emergency room visits and 173 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is close to the state average for emergency visits (563) and lower than it for hospital stays (202). About 8% received home health care. These figures describe how people use care under Original Medicare; they do not show what any plan covers or costs.
Sources: CMS Medicare Geographic Variation, 2023; USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, 2023.
Insurers choose which counties to serve each year, which means the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can pick in Beaufort County can be different from the ones offered next door. We are not based in Beaufort County; we help Beaufort County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Beaufort County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists these hospitals in Beaufort County:
- Beaufort County Memorial Hospital — Beaufort (acute care; government-owned; emergency services; CMS overall rating 4 of 5)
- Novant Health Hilton Head Medical Center — Hilton Head Island (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 2 of 5)
Being located in the county is not the same as being in your plan’s network. Each Medicare Advantage plan builds its own network, so we confirm that your hospital and your doctors are included before you choose. Ratings are CMS Care Compare overall hospital star ratings; they describe the hospital, not whether a plan covers it. Source: CMS Hospital General Information.
Where people live in Beaufort County
People in Beaufort County live in communities such as Hilton Head Island (38,097), Bluffton (35,243), Port Royal (16,287), Beaufort (13,850), Yemassee (124), Hardeeville (122) (2023 population estimates, counting only the part of each community that lies inside the county).
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Beaufort County, that means areas such as 29902, 29904, 29905, 29906, 29907, 29909, 29910, 29915, 29920, 29926, 29928, 29935, 29940, 29941, based on Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas that lie mostly in the county.
Questions about Medicare in Beaufort County?
Reach out to us: fill out our short form or call (571) 354-0146, and a licensed agent will compare the plans available to you, check your doctors and drugs, and stay with you each year at renewal. For general Medicare information, the federal helpline is 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Medicare resources from official sources
- Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov, searchable by ZIP code.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Medicare.gov: Medigap on how Medicare Supplement works.
- HealthCare.gov if you are not yet on Medicare.
- South Carolina Department of Insurance: South Carolina’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Beaufort County residents
As an independent agency we are not tied to one insurer, so for Beaufort County residents we can compare ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans and ACA health insurance.
Get a clear answer for Beaufort County
A short call is enough to compare your options. Our help is free to you.
Get my plan comparisonRead next
- Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap: how to choose
- Medicare Parts A, B, C and D explained
- What Medicare Part D actually costs
- Can I change my Medicare plan after December 7?
Beaufort County compared with similar South Carolina counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg County | 58,315 | 54.3% | 9% | Metro |
| Richland County | 61,710 | 43.1% | 7% | Metro |
| Lexington County | 54,364 | 42.3% | 6% | Metro |
| York County | 47,392 | 46.5% | 6% | Metro |
| Anderson County | 39,704 | 53.7% | 7% | Metro |
| Berkeley County | 38,856 | 44.3% | 5% | Metro |
See every South Carolina county in our South Carolina directory or go to our South Carolina Medicare hub.