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Callawassie Island, South Carolina
A Beautiful Barrier Island and Community Along the Southern South Carolina Coast, Secluded Callawassie Island is Surrounded by Tital Creeks and Salt Marshes
Callawassie Island is a secluded barrier sea island off of the southern South Carolina coast. It sits in Port Royal Sound and is surrounded by tidal creeks and salt marshes. A half mile long causeway connects the island to the mainland.
Although there is no town on Callawassie Island, there is a gated waterfront golf community with about 500 town homes and single family homes of 700 planned. It, too, is called Callawassie Island, and it shares the island with the ruins of an old sugar mill. Developed primarily during the 1980s and 1990s, the community boasts 27 holes of golf, two clubhouses, six tennis courts, two swimming pools, two restaurants, fishing and shrimping docks and more. Residents also have access to 33 lagoons, three parks, one butterfly garden and three rookeries. Many an afternoon is spent canoeing or kayaking through the quiet waters of the Sound. The River Club dock has deep water access for those seeking more adventure.
Callwassie Island (the island) is a National Wildlife Habitat, certified by the National Wildlife Federation, and a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. More than 200 homes are officially certified as Backyard Habitats. The people who live here are very protective of the island, its ecology and its wildlife.
Callwassie Island (the community) is the essence of Lowcountry coastal living. Homes are tucked under tall trees drapped in moss and many have a classic front porch. Some properties boast a private boat dock. Others sit along the golf course.
Population: 1,500 (city proper estimate)
Percentage of Population Age 45 or Better: 45%
Cost of Living: 85% above the national average
Median Home Price: $875,000
Climate: Summer temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, and winter temperatures are in the 30s, 40s and 50s. On average, the area receives 52 inches of rain per year.
At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients? No, but Coastal Carolina Medical Center is 17 miles away in Hardeeville and accepts Medicare patients.
At Least One Hospital Accredited by Joint Commission? No, but Coastal Carolina Medical Center is 17 miles away in Hardeeville and is accredited.
Public Transit: No
Crime Rate: Below the national average
Public Library: Yes, in the River Club (clubhouse)
Political Leanings: Conservative
Is South Carolina Considered Tax Friendly for Retirement? Yes
Cons: Hurricanes are always a possibility.
Notes: Residents travel to Hardeeville, 17 miles away, or to Bluffton, 18 miles away, for most services and supplies. Residents of Callawassie Island (the community) must pay membership dues and HOA fees of about $765 per month. Home addresses say Okatie, a name given to this rural unincorporated area for voting and other governmental purposes.
Recommended as a Retirement Spot? Yes, although the lack of services should be considered.
South Carolina:
South Carolina is nicknamed the Palmetto State and its motto is "Dum spiro spero," which is Latin for "While I Breath, I Hope." It is 40th in size in the United States and was the eighth state to be admitted to the Union on May 23, 1788. The largest city and state capital is Columbia.
Formerly known as the Province of South Carolina, the area was also one of the 13 Colonies that declared its independence during the American Revolution. The state was the first to secede from the Union and was the first and founding state of the Confederate States of America.
South Carolina is in what is considered the Deep South and is bordered by the states of Georgia on the south and North Carolina on the north.
The state does not host any major professional sport franchises. However, the Carolina Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes actually represent both North Carolina and South Carolina.
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