The Town FilesDale, South Carolina
Community in Beaufort County · population 633 (2020 Census)
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 72.4
Dale is a community of 633 people in Beaufort County, South Carolina. It ranks more seaside character than 95% of South Carolina towns, better for retirees than 93% of South Carolina towns, better for first-time buyers than 92% of South Carolina towns.
How Dale ranks
Percentile among South Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of South Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dale | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $183,100 |
| Median rent | — | $937 |
| Median household income | — | $53,875 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 68.0% |
| Median year built | 2000 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dale
| People | Dale | Typical South Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 72.4 | 40.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 57.4% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 11.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.5% | 20.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 55.7% | 17.8% |
| Veterans | 14.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 15.9% | 6.8% |
| Average commute | 31.6 min | 25.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 46.0% | 87.8% |
Weather in Dale
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 40.1°F. About 45.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical South Carolina town: 0.8 in). Expect about 73 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 17 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dale since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical South Carolina town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 3, 1998 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 27, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 27, 2011.
Severe weather in Beaufort County since 1996
Beaufort County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3632: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 29, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4829: Hurricane Helene |
| September 29, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4835: Tropical Storm Debby |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3619: Hurricane Helene |
| August 5, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3606: Hurricane Debby |
Jobs and pay in Beaufort County
Beaufort County had 71,044 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,768 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Dale itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Dale
- Seabrook, SC3.5 mi · 1,255 people · home —
- Sheldon, SC6.3 mi · 579 people · home $45,000
- Beaufort, SC6.8 mi · 13,607 people · home $345,400
- Laurel Bay, SC8.3 mi · 5,082 people · home $231,800
- Burton, SC9.3 mi · 6,777 people · home $247,600
- Shell Point, SC12.8 mi · 2,281 people · home $293,300
- Yemassee, SC13.8 mi · 1,080 people · home $161,600
- Port Royal, SC13.8 mi · 14,220 people · home $347,200
Dale questions
Is Dale, South Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dale scores better for retirees than 93% of South Carolina towns and quieter than 86%. 57.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 72.4).
What is the weather like in Dale?
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 40.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Dale get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dale since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 3, 1998. The typical South Carolina town has had 17.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)