Barry Cunningham REALTOR® with The Boulevard Company (843) 530-0755
Menu
Communities

Charleston & the harbor

Islands & beaches

North of Charleston

Further out & planned

Explore

Buy

Buying

Before you offer

Sell

Selling

Moving here

Relocating

Plan the move

Tools

Free tools

About

Barry Cunningham

Listing alerts Call (843) 530-0755

Charleston beach towns compared

These five beaches sit about 9 to 27 miles from downtown, and they live very differently. Two are gated, one bans vacation rentals outright, and one is in court over its rental cap. Here's how Folly, Isle of Palms, Sullivan's, Kiawah and Seabrook compare on the things I get asked about most.

By Barry Cunningham, REALTOR®. Updated Oct 21, 2026.

Folly BeachIsle of PalmsSullivan's IslandKiawah IslandSeabrook Island
The market (Jan 1, 2026 to Oct 21, 2026, CHS Regional MLS)
Homes sold761743299144
Median sale, all homes$1.02M$1.85M$4.72M$1.75M$906K
Price per sq ft, all homes$654$940$1,495$853$582
Median days on market7834863449
Sales at $1.5M+18 (24%)109 (63%)31 (97%)56 (57%)44 (31%)
Top sale$3.9M$15M$19M$11.75M$4.35M
Living there
Getting thereSC 171 (Folly Road), the only road onIOP Connector or Breach InletBen Sawyer swing bridge or Breach InletKiawah Island Parkway to the gatesSeabrook Island Road to the gate
GatedNoNo (Wild Dunes is)NoYes, KICA gatesYes, SIPOA gate
GovernmentCity of Folly BeachCity of Isle of PalmsTown of Sullivan's IslandTown of Kiawah IslandTown of Seabrook Island
Public beach access49 access points50+ access points20 access pointsOne: Beachwalker County ParkPrivate to residents and guests
Public parkingPaid lots; city says nearly 3,000 free spacesPaid lots Mar. to Oct.; free on set streetsFree; all four tires off the road150 paid spaces at BeachwalkerOwners and guests behind the gate
Short-term rentalsCity license; 800 investor cap, new licenses frozen since Aug. 2026City license, no capNot allowed; 28-night minimumTown license; 20% cap in R-1 and parts of R-2Town permit; 557 cap in overlay, 110 elsewhere
GolfNo course on the islandWild Dunes: two Fazio coursesNo course on the islandFive public resort courses plus the private ClubSeabrook Island Club, two courses
Club membershipNoneOptional Wild Dunes membershipsNoneSeparate; only with certain purchasesRequired for new owners since 2005
Building limitsNew homes 4 ft above base flood elevation40 ft height in most districts38 ft height; house size tied to lot size; design reviewARB approval plus town permitTown height rules; ask for the current limit
Commercial districtCenter StreetFront Beach areaMiddle StreetFreshfields Village on the parkwayBohicket Marina and Freshfields nearby
Miles to downtownAbout 13About 17About 9About 27About 25
Evacuation zoneZone AZone AZone AZone AZone A

Market rows: closed residential sales, all property types, by MLS city and ZIP; Isle of Palms includes Wild Dunes. Medians, not appraisals. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

How they differ

Folly and Isle of Palms are the open, public beach towns. Anyone can drive on, park and walk to the sand, and both cities license vacation rentals. The difference is that Isle of Palms has no cap, while Folly's 800-license investor cap was struck down, appealed and re-enacted in 2026, with new licenses frozen for now.

Sullivan's Island is the opposite. Rentals shorter than 28 consecutive nights are illegal, house size is capped by lot size, the height limit is 38 feet and the historic overlay adds design review. Parking is free, but there's no hotel and very little commercial space beyond Middle Street.

Kiawah and Seabrook are gated towns, and the gate changes everything: guest passes, contractor access and who can use the beach. Kiawah's only public beach access is Beachwalker County Park. Seabrook's beach is private to residents and guests.

The clubs are the biggest money difference. On Seabrook, every new owner has to buy a Seabrook Island Club membership. On Kiawah, Club membership comes only with a previously unsold Kiawah Island Real Estate homesite or a resale where the seller is offering one. I confirm that in writing before we write an offer.

All five are in Hurricane Evacuation Zone A, the first zone called out in a storm. Oceanfront lots also fall under SCDES beachfront jurisdiction, so what you can build near the dune is a state question as well as a town one.

Next: the $1.5M+ market by area · buying waterfront in Charleston · short-term rental rules

Sources

Free, once a month

The Charleston market, neighborhood by neighborhood

Prices and days on market from the MLS, what's opening around town, and events worth your weekend. Unsubscribe anytime.

Read past issues at barry-sells-charleston.beehiiv.com. Privacy