The market right now
Over Nov 2025 – Oct 2026, the median residential sale (Town of Sullivan's Island (few sales, so monthly figures swing widely)) was about $4,700,000. Homes averaged 108 days on market and sold for about 92.1% of their original asking price, and there was roughly 10.4 months of supply at the latest count. Compare it with the rest of the region on the communities map.
Who governs a Sullivan's Island address
The whole island is the Town of Sullivan's Island, in Charleston County. It grew from two communities, Moultrieville on the southwest end and Atlanticville on the northeast, that merged into one town. The town handles zoning, building permits, design review, flood rules and rental licensing.
The rental rule is the first thing I tell anyone thinking about buying here. Short-term vacation rentals have been banned since 2001. The town's rental agreement says leases must run 28 consecutive nights or more, anything shorter is illegal, and listings must say so. Long-term rentals need a town business license that runs May 1 to April 30. In February 2026 the state Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that a Pacaso fractional-ownership home is not a short-term rental, and the town has been looking at its rental definitions since. Details are on my short-term rental rules page.
Homes and what your money buys
There isn't much land and there won't be much more. The town's comprehensive plan says local laws prevent subdivisions, zoning favors single-family homes and the island has some of the highest-valued land per acre in the region. Homes range from historic houses in the National Register districts to newer homes raised to meet current flood rules.
Several areas are on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Atlanticville, Moultrieville and Sullivan's Island historic districts and the Fort Moultrie Quartermaster and U.S. Coast Guard districts. The seven-member Design Review Board, a historic preservation board, reviews and approves new construction and renovations in the commercial and residential districts. It meets the third Wednesday of the month, and applications are due about a month ahead, so build that into any renovation timeline.
Sales volume is very small. So few homes sell that the median on this page can swing widely from one period to the next. I'd look at a longer window and at individual sales before drawing conclusions.
Getting around and beach parking
SC 703 is the only road. From Mount Pleasant it crosses the Ben Sawyer Bridge, a swing bridge that first opened in 1945 and pivots to let boats through on the Intracoastal Waterway. Hurricane Hugo left one end of it in the water in 1989, and its steel spans were replaced in 2009 and 2010, with the bridge closed from February 7 to February 19, 2010. At the other end of the island, SC 703 crosses Breach Inlet to Isle of Palms.
Beach parking is free in the public right-of-way, with all four tires off the pavement and no blocking of streets or beach paths. On summer weekends most spaces are full by about 11 a.m. Middle Street is the main street, and Jasper Boulevard leads to the eastern side.
Flooding and insurance
The town says every property on the island is in flood zone AE or VE, both high-risk zones. Oceanfront property is in VE with flood elevations of 15 to 23 feet, the eastern end runs 19 to 23 feet, and the middle and marsh side are generally AE at 13 to 15 feet. Ground elevation runs from near sea level to about 14 feet. The town has kept elevation certificates for new and substantially improved homes since 1977, so ask for it. Run any address through my flood zone lookup.
Hurricane Hugo's eye passed directly over the island in September 1989. For wind, Sullivan's Island is in Zone 1 of the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, the state's wind pool of last resort, where the standard deductible is 3%, the maximum for a home is $1.3 million and new policies wait 15 days. Get flood and wind quotes during your inspection period.
The maritime forest and accreted land
The front beach on much of the island isn't open sand. Over roughly 70 years, sand built up (accreted) seaward of the original shoreline, and a maritime forest grew on it. The town bought more than 200 acres of that land from the Lowcountry Land Trust in 1991, and it's protected.
Two homeowners sued in 2010 over the overgrowth, lost views and beach access. A 2020 settlement called for selective thinning, but a circuit judge ruled it unenforceable in 2023, and on February 25, 2026 the Court of Appeals agreed, so the town does not have to carry out that settlement. If you're looking at a home behind the forest, buy it for what's there today. Don't count on future cutting to open a view.
Property taxes: 4% vs 6%
South Carolina assesses your legal residence at 4% of value and exempts it from school operating millage. Second homes and long-term rentals are assessed at 6% and pay the full rate. Apply for the 4% ratio with the Charleston County Assessor after you close.
For 2026, Sullivan's Island (tax district 23) carries 275.0 total mills, including 145.2 mills of school operating millage and 56.2 mills for the town (38.1 operating and 18.1 for bonds). That's higher than Isle of Palms' 240.7 mills next door.
Schools
Sullivan's Island is served by Charleston County School District. Attendance zones change, so check the exact address with the district's official lookup (link below).
Things to do
Fort Moultrie, part of Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, sits at 1214 Middle Street. It began as the palmetto log fort where Patriots beat the Royal Navy in 1776 and served Charleston's harbor defense until 1947. The Charleston Light, built in 1962, is a landmark on the island. The small commercial district on Middle Street has a few restaurants, including Poe's Tavern. A nature trail runs through the maritime forest, which is good for birding. Beach rules are strict: no glass or plastic containers, no vehicles on the beach and rules for beach fires that took effect October 1, 2024. For council and design review items, see community happenings.
What people like
- No vacation rentals, so no weekly guest turnover next door.
- Fort Moultrie, a walkable Middle Street and wide beaches with free parking.
- Strong historic preservation and design review protect the island's look.
- Close to Mount Pleasant over the Ben Sawyer Bridge.
What to weigh first
- No short-term rental income; leases must be 28 nights or longer.
- Very few homes sell, so choices are thin and prices are hard to read.
- Every property is in a high-risk flood zone, plus wind pool Zone 1 exposure.
- Higher total millage than Isle of Palms, and design review adds time to projects.
How far is Sullivan's Island from…
| Destination | Drive, no traffic | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston International Airport | 25 min | 18.3 |
| Downtown (Marion Square) | 20 min | 9.5 |
| MUSC | 20 min | 9.8 |
| Boeing South Carolina | 30 min | 19.3 |
| Folly Beach Pier | 35 min | 20.1 |
| Isle of Palms County Park | 10 min | 3.8 |
Measured from Sullivan's Island Town Hall on OpenStreetMap roads with no traffic, rounded to 5 minutes. Rush hour on the bridges and main roads can double these, so drive your commute at the time you'd actually make it.
Sullivan's Island compared
- Sullivan's Island vs Isle of Palms: prices, drive times and trade-offs side by side
Common questions about Sullivan's Island
What is the median home price in Sullivan's Island?
About $4,700,000, the median of monthly median sold prices for residential sales in Town of Sullivan's Island (few sales, so monthly figures swing widely), CHS Regional MLS, Nov 2025 – Oct 2026. Homes sold at about 92.1% of their original asking price after an average of 108 days on market.
Can I rent my Sullivan's Island home as a vacation rental?
No. The town requires rentals of 28 consecutive nights or more, treats shorter rentals as illegal and requires a business license for long-term rentals. A February 2026 appeals ruling said a Pacaso co-owned home is not a short-term rental, but it did not lift the rental minimum.
What is the maritime forest dispute?
Homeowners sued in 2010 over the forest that grew on accreted land in front of their homes. A 2020 settlement called for thinning, but courts ruled it unenforceable in 2023 and again on appeal in February 2026, so the town does not have to carry it out.
Do I need Design Review Board approval to renovate?
Often. The Design Review Board reviews new construction and renovations in the town's commercial and residential districts, with extra guidelines for historic properties. It meets the third Wednesday of the month, and applications are due about a month ahead. Check with town planning staff first.
Is all of Sullivan's Island in a flood zone?
Yes. The town says every property is in flood zone AE or VE, both high-risk zones. Oceanfront flood elevations run 15 to 23 feet and the marsh side is generally 13 to 15 feet. Ask for the elevation certificate on any home.
Is beach parking free on Sullivan's Island?
Yes. Parking is free in the public right-of-way as long as all four tires are off the pavement and you don't block a street or beach path. On summer weekends, most spaces fill by about 11 a.m.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Sullivan's Island, South Carolina
- Town of Sullivan's Island: Long-Term Residential Rental Agreement (PDF)
- Post and Courier: Court of Appeals rules on Sullivan's Island Pacaso home (2026)
- Town of Sullivan's Island: Business License
- Town of Sullivan's Island: Comprehensive Plan, Population Element (5-year review)
- Town of Sullivan's Island: Design Review Board
- Town of Sullivan's Island: Historic District Design Guidelines
- Wikipedia: Ben Sawyer Bridge
- ENR: Ben Sawyer swing bridge replaced (2010)
- Town of Sullivan's Island: Beach handicap access and parking
- ABC News 4: Beach parking this season (Mar. 2024)
- Town of Sullivan's Island: Local conditions and floodplain functions
- Town of Sullivan's Island: NFIP and Community Rating System
- Town of Sullivan's Island: Floodplain management
- SC Wind and Hail Underwriting Association: Q&A (coverage zones, limits, deductibles)
- Post and Courier: Appeals court rules on maritime forest agreement (Mar. 2026)
- WCBD via Yahoo: Homeowners challenge maritime forest ruling (2025)
- Charleston County Auditor: 2026 Millage Levy
- National Park Service: Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
- Town of Sullivan's Island: Beach rules and regulations
- Town of Sullivan's Island: Beach fires
- Poe's Tavern: Sullivan's Island
Market figures: residential sales, Town of Sullivan's Island (few sales, so monthly figures swing widely), CHS Regional MLS, Nov 2025 – Oct 2026. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed. MLS city and ZIP figures follow mailing addresses, which don't match town limits. Population, taxes, roads and flood history were checked against the sources above on October 21, 2026; they change, so verify before you rely on them. School information is limited to which district serves an area and its official lookup.