Home Prices
TRIANGLE
$300K–$885K in 55+ communities
HILTON HEAD
$400K–$1.5M+ — Hilton Head commands a significant premium
HOA Fees
TRIANGLE
$210–$340/mo
HILTON HEAD
$400–$1,200+/mo in plantation communities (many include golf)
Property Tax
TRIANGLE
Wake ~0.90%, Durham ~1.04%
HILTON HEAD
Beaufort County SC ~0.5% — lower, but SC has income tax
State Income Tax
TRIANGLE
NC flat 4.25% (SS + military exempt)
HILTON HEAD
SC up to 6.5% (lower exemptions than NC)
Homeowners Insurance
TRIANGLE
$1,500–$2,000/yr inland
HILTON HEAD
$4,000–$8,000+/yr barrier island — very high and rising
Hurricane Risk
TRIANGLE
Minimal — 200+ miles inland
HILTON HEAD
Direct exposure — barrier island. Matthew 2016, Dorian 2019 caused mandatory evacuations.
Best Hospital
TRIANGLE
Duke University Medical Center — top 10
HILTON HEAD
Coastal Carolina Hospital (Beaufort) — regional. Savannah 45 min, Charleston 90 min for major care.
Airport
TRIANGLE
RDU — major hub
HILTON HEAD
HHH — tiny. Savannah (SAV) is 45 min for real flights.
55+ Community Options
TRIANGLE
6 major purpose-built communities
HILTON HEAD
Sun City Hilton Head — large Del Webb community; limited other options
Golf
TRIANGLE
Courses nearby, none on-site
HILTON HEAD
World-class — Harbour Town, Palmetto Dunes, Sea Pines. This is a real differentiator.
The True Monthly Cost — Running the Full Stack
Sun City Hilton Head (the main Del Webb community on HHI) has HOA fees starting around $400–$500/month for basic amenity tiers, with golf membership adding significantly more. A comparable home at $500K in Sun City Hilton Head carries: HOA $450+, property tax ~$208/mo (0.5%), homeowners insurance ~$500/mo (barrier island). That's $1,158+/month before any golf or club fees — vs ~$1,715/month all-in for Carolina Preserve in Cary on a similar home. Closer than you'd expect, but with very different risk profiles.
Where Hilton Head diverges: the premium homes ($700K–$1M+) have insurance costs that can reach $8,000–$12,000/year on barrier island properties. At that level the total monthly stack pulls significantly ahead of any Triangle community.
Choose Hilton Head if
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