How Hilton Head Island is run
Who runs Hilton Head Island, what it costs, and where your money goes
The city manager, council pay, the budget, your property tax bill and who provides each service, from Hilton Head Island's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Hilton Head Island
A city manager hired by the council runs the city day to day. The council sets policy, adopts the budget and sets the tax rate.
What they are paid
- Mileage is reimbursed for meetings held off the island
Hilton Head Island city staff
298 full-time-equivalent positions, including Fire & Rescue 154. FY2026-27. General fund positions in the adopted budget, not counting the seven council members. Town of Hilton Head Island · Sep 4, 2026
The budget lists positions by department and pay assumptions, such as a 4% merit increase. It does not list individual salaries. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Hilton Head Island in the red?
Cities must pass a balanced budget, so "profit" and "deficit" mean something different here. The useful questions: does the city's everyday money (the general fund) cover its everyday costs, how much does it keep in savings compared with its own target, and how big are its pension and debt bills.
The city's own outlook
The budget includes a four-year general fund model through FY2030-31. It projects revenue growth modestly outpacing spending increases. The town says it has a longstanding practice of spending less than appropriated amounts. Town of Hilton Head Island · Sep 4, 2026
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $27.9M (2025-06-30). The city's own target: Since July 1, 2025, the town keeps a general fund operating reserve of 40% to 55% of the adopted budget. The council also committed a separate $24,370,000 disaster reserve in the general fund. Town of Hilton Head Island · Dec 4, 2025
Why we skip the "budgeted deficit": many cities plan to dip into savings, then spend less than planned. The audited result tells you what really happened.
Where the money comes from and goes
The general fund only: the city's everyday money for FY2026-27.
Comes from
- Property taxes$19.4M · 29%
- Transfers in from other funds$16.6M · 25%
- Business licenses$15M · 22%
- Local accommodations tax$7.4M · 11%
- EMS fees$2.5M · 4%
- Investment income$2.1M · 3%
- Other$4.8M · 7%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Fire & Rescue$24.8M · 37%
- Non-departmental$12.7M · 19%
- Planning & Operations$12.4M · 18%
- Administration$7.6M · 11%
- Finance$3.6M · 5%
- Public Safety$2.4M · 4%
- Other$4.1M · 6%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
The town's own rates are a small part of the total. Most of the bill goes to the school district and the county. The public service district rate is an average of the districts that serve the island.
9¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of Hilton Head Island
- Town of Hilton Head Island15.90 operating and 5.50 debt service21.4 · 9%
- Beaufort County59.5 · 24%
- Beaufort County School District158.1 · 64%
- Public service districts (average)8.55 · 3%
- Total (mills)247.55
FY2025 property tax rates for property in the Town of Hilton Head Island (Beaufort County). Town of Hilton Head Island · Dec 4, 2025
See what a Hilton Head Island home costs each year, line by line →Who provides your services
Not everything in Hilton Head Island is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe countyBeaufort County Sheriff's OfficeThere is no current contract with the county for these services.Town of Hilton Head Island · Sep 4, 2026
- FireThe cityTown Fire RescueTown of Hilton Head Island · Sep 4, 2026
- Ambulance (EMS)The cityTown Fire RescueAdvanced life support and transport.Town of Hilton Head Island · Sep 4, 2026
- 911 dispatchThe cityTown Fire Rescue (911 Communications division)Town of Hilton Head Island · Sep 4, 2026
- WaterSeparate districtHilton Head No. 1, Broad Creek and South Island public service districtsTown of Hilton Head Island · Dec 4, 2025
- SewerSeparate districtHilton Head No. 1, Broad Creek and South Island public service districtsTown of Hilton Head Island · Dec 4, 2025
- Beach patrol and lifeguardsContractorShore Beach ServicesYear-round patrol of 13.5 miles of beach.Town of Hilton Head Island · Sep 4, 2026
- StormwaterThe cityTown Stormwater UtilityTown of Hilton Head Island · Sep 4, 2026
- Recreation centerPrivate companyHilton Head Island Recreation AssociationThe town owns the center; the association operates it.Town of Hilton Head Island · Sep 4, 2026
- StreetsThe cityTown (town roads); county and state roads maintained by othersTown of Hilton Head Island · Sep 4, 2026
Compared with similar cities
The cities in this state closest in population that we cover. Read it for scale, not as a ranking: cities provide different services.
| Per city | GreenwoodSC | Hilton Head IslandSC | FlorenceSC | SumterSC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 22,745 | 38,196 | 41,231 | 43,094 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not current (2022) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Council member pay | Not confirmed | $23,345 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| General fund per resident | $1,017 | $1,771 | $1,363 | $1,321 |
| Debt per resident | $40 | $1,889 | $5,172 | $978 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $541 | $469 | $1,020 | $1,113 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | — | 7.8 | 14.3 | 14.4 |
Figures as shown in each city's section, divided by its population. Years differ by state, and pension figures are measured differently in each state (each city page says how). Hilton Head Island pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What Hilton Head Island publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- No: City manager's contract findable onlineWe found no Town Manager employment agreement on the Town Manager page, the budget pages or the council minutes we checked. Town of Hilton Head Island
- Yes: Meeting videos and minutes online Town of Hilton Head Island
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public documentThe Municipal Code, as amended in the FY2025 budget ordinance, sets the mayor at $37,375 and members at $23,345 a year. Town of Hilton Head Island · Jun 4, 2024
Questions to ask your council
- The general fund spent $57.8 million in FY2024-25 against $56.2 million of revenue and relied on $14.4 million of transfers from tourism and other funds. How dependent should daily operations be on those transfers?
- Fire & Rescue accounts for $24.8 million of the $67.7 million FY2026-27 general fund budget. How will the town keep those costs in line with revenue growth?
- Unassigned reserves were $27.9 million on June 30, 2025, beside a $24.37 million committed reserve. How does that compare with the new 40% to 55% reserve range?
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