Where to live

Where to live near MCRD Parris Island

7 towns within about an hour of the main post area: drive time, rent, home values and the school district for each.

Town centers and the main post area. Dot size is population.

Quick answers

ClosestPort Royal10 min drive

Lowest median rentRidgeland$734 a month

Most E-5 BAH left overRidgeland$1,723 over a 2-bedroom

7 towns, closest first

Towns around MCRD Parris Island

The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($2,403) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.

Port Royal, SC

10 min drive · 2.7 road mi

Median rent: $1,726
2 bedrooms: $1,779
3 bedrooms: $1,852
Home value: $347,200
People: 15,579
Homes rented: 62%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$624 a month

Beaufort County School District: 32 schools, 21,489 students, 11 students per teacher. District facts

Burton, SC

23 min drive · 9.9 road mi

Median rent: $1,229
2 bedrooms: $1,327
3 bedrooms: $1,534
Home value: $247,600
People: 6,912
Homes rented: 40%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,076 a month

Beaufort County School District: 32 schools, 21,489 students, 11 students per teacher. District facts

Beaufort, SC

28 min drive · 12.6 road mi

Median rent: $1,212
2 bedrooms: $1,183
3 bedrooms: $1,807
Home value: $345,400
People: 13,747
Homes rented: 39%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,220 a month

Beaufort County School District: 32 schools, 21,489 students, 11 students per teacher. District facts

Laurel Bay, SC

30 min drive · 14.8 road mi

Median rent: $1,454
2 bedrooms: $1,199
3 bedrooms: $1,483
Home value: $231,800
People: 5,882
Homes rented: 78%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,204 a month

Beaufort County School District: 32 schools, 21,489 students, 11 students per teacher. District facts

Hardeeville, SC

43 min drive · 26.3 road mi

Median rent: $1,406
2 bedrooms: $1,373
3 bedrooms: $1,811
Home value: $488,900
People: 10,871
Homes rented: 23%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,030 a month

Jasper County School District: 4 schools, 2,666 students, 15.2 students per teacher. District facts

Ridgeland, SC

46 min drive · 27.7 road mi

Median rent: $734
2 bedrooms: $680
3 bedrooms: $1,453
Home value: $228,400
People: 3,764
Homes rented: 53%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,723 a month

Jasper County School District: 4 schools, 2,666 students, 15.2 students per teacher. District facts

Bluffton, SC

53 min drive · 30.3 road mi

Median rent: $2,256
2 bedrooms: $2,028
3 bedrooms: $2,630
Home value: $492,100
People: 33,157
Homes rented: 17%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$375 a month

Beaufort County School District: 32 schools, 21,489 students, 11 students per teacher. District facts

Where these numbers come from

Towns: every town, city and census place of 1,000 or more people within about an hour's drive, from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Drive time: from each town's center to the main post area on OpenStreetMap roads, without traffic, so rush hour runs longer.
Rent, home value, renters: Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 medians. They include long-time renters and utilities, so new leases usually cost more. Use them to compare towns, and the HUD rent on the BAH page for today's level.
Schools: the public district that covers each town's center, with size from the NCES Common Core of Data (2023-24). Confirm the school for a specific address with the district.

Updated October 12, 2026. How we get our numbers.

MCRD Parris Island base guide MCRD Parris Island BAH Other bases

FAQ

Living near MCRD Parris Island

What is the closest town to MCRD Parris Island?

Port Royal, SC is about 10 minutes from the main post area (2.7 road miles) without traffic.

Which town near MCRD Parris Island has the lowest rent?

Ridgeland, SC, where the Census median rent is $734 a month (rent plus utilities, 2020-2024 average). New leases usually cost more than the median, so check current listings too.

Does BAH cover rent near MCRD Parris Island?

For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $2,403 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 7 of the 7 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in Ridgeland, SC.

What school district serves Port Royal?

Beaufort County School District, with 32 schools and 21,489 students (11 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.