Two Lowcountry Regions Reach Top 5 Status for Female Entrepreneurship | | A recent study by CoworkingCafe highlights a shifting landscape for female entrepreneurs, revealing that the American South has become a powerhouse for women-owned businesses. Analyzing over 200 metropolitan areas across three key pillars—Women’s Entrepreneurship, Economic Context, and Labor & Talent Pool—the report identifies the top cities where women are most likely to launch, scale, and thrive. Notably, South Carolina stands out with two significant inclusions: Charleston in the top five mid-sized markets and Hilton Head Island in the top five small markets. | | Charleston: A Mid-Sized Powerhouse | | Ranking second among mid-sized metros (populations between 500,000 and 1 million), Charleston has quietly transformed into a hub of entrepreneurial energy. The city boasts a strong self-employment rate of 11.6% and a business formation rate of 2,112 per 100,000 residents. This momentum is fueled by a rapid 8.8% population surge since 2020, bringing a steady stream of new customers and talent. While median earnings for women sit at $43,000, the market remains attractive due to its relatively affordable Regional Price Parity (101.0). Institutional support is a cornerstone of this success, specifically through the I-HOPE Women’s Business Center in North Charleston, which provides essential coaching, workshops, and resources tailored to female founders. | | Hilton Head Island: A Small Market with Big Potential | | |
In the small metro category (under 500,000 residents), Hilton Head Island secured the fifth spot, distinguished by its exceptional labor market. The area features a female unemployment rate of just 2.9%—the lowest of any metro analyzed across all population tiers. This tight job market, combined with a 15% self-employment rate and a 40% GDP growth since 2019, creates a fertile environment for new ventures. Hilton Head also offers financial advantages, including a Regional Price Parity of 98.0 and coworking costs well below the national median. While it lacks a dedicated women-only accelerator, the South Carolina Small Business Development Center and the local Chamber of Commerce provide robust infrastructure to help female entrepreneurs capitalize on the area's growing population and affluent consumer base.
Together, these rankings underscore South Carolina’s emerging status as a premier destination for women-led innovation, balancing economic growth with accessible business conditions.
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Explore the Lowcountry Challenge: Go Gumping!
If you’ve lived or vacationed in South Carolina’s Lowcountry long enough, you know that our moss-draped oaks and salt marshes aren’t just beautiful—they’re cinematic. So take some time to grab your running shoes (or just a comfortable pair of loafers) and explore the following landmarks in and around Beaufort that brought the 1994 classic Forrest Gump to life:
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Woods Memorial Bridge (intersection of Bay St. and Carteret St. [US-21], Beaufort): You’ll recognize this swing bridge from the famous scene where Forrest is pursued by reporters during his cross-country run.
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The Gump House (3547 Combahee Rd., Yemassee): While the house itself was a set and is no longer standing, you can still find the entrance and the long driveway at The Bluff Plantation.
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Greenbow Elementary (494 Hampton St., Walterboro): See where Mrs. Gump advocated for Forrest’s education by visiting the Colleton Civic Center, which served as the exterior for Greenbow Elementary.
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Gump Medical Center (801 Carteret St., Beaufort): Keep an eye out for the local buildings in Beaufort that stood in for the town's professional offices and medical facilities during Forrest's rise to fame.
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Four Square Gospel Church (155 County Rd. S-25-286, Yemassee): McPhersonville Church, historically known as Stoney Creek Presbyterian Chapel, served as the backdrop for several reflective moments in the film, including the scene in which Forrest joined the gospel choir and prayed for shrimp.
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Bubba’s House (145 Alston Rd., Beaufort): Pay your respects at the site used for Bubba's family home.
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Gay Fish Company (1948 Sea Island Pkwy., St. Helena Island): This is a must-visit for any fan. They supplied the actual shrimp for the film, and their dock is the exact spot where Forrest painted “Jenny” on the side of his boat.
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Hunting Island State Park (2555 Sea Island Pkwy): Areas around the lagoon provided the dense palm forests and marshy inlets needed for the film’s intense Vietnam battle sequences.
| Visit our website to access your custom tour map! Please be sure to respect the property and privacy of others during your visit to any of these locations. | | |
Restaurant Spotlight: The Sage Room
Located slightly west of Coligny Plaza, just off the main corridor of Pope Avenue, Sage Room has long been regarded as one of Hilton Head Island’s most exceptional fine‑dining destinations. Guests are greeted by the building’s warm, unpretentious exterior.
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Once through the doorway, however, the restaurant’s signature feature immediately sets the tone: an open, exhibition‑style kitchen that gives diners a front‑row seat to the skill and creativity that define Sage Room’s cuisine.
Menu options evolve throughout the year, offering guests a thoughtful mix of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Seafood, steaks, and globally inspired dishes showcase the kitchen’s culinary range. During this visit we began with two appetizers: Rosemary Focaccia, served with honey butter and a roasted red pepper puree, paired wonderfully with the second appetizer of crab cakes, plated with a roasted red pepper and caper salad on top of a sweet corn cream base.
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For our main courses we selected champagne poached scallops with Parmesan risotto cake, sautéed spinach, and champagne tomato butter, coupled with a 22 oz. Ribeye steak with bleu cheese potato au gratin and haricot vert. The size of the Ribeye and potato au gratin portion provided enough take-home fare for each of us to enjoy a breakfast of steak, eggs, and potatoes the next morning. We concluded the meal with dessert consisting of a chocolate peanut butter tart and slice of turtle-style cheesecake.
Sage Room’s beverage selections include non-alcoholic options, along with an impressive list of cocktails, wines, and craft beers. We sampled three cocktails during our visit: The Mad Hatter (Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey, Contreau Orange liqueur, Bordeaux cherry juice), Paper Plane (Elijah Craig Bourbon, Aperol, Amaro, fresh squeezed lemon), and Blackberry Bramble (Titos vodka, Blackberry purée, fresh squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup). Each was expertly prepared and delicious. A filled glass of ice water was always at hand.
The restaurant’s ambiance offers soft lighting, warm wood tones, and a spacious layout that encourages conversation, making it ideal for celebrations or a memorable night out during a Hilton Head getaway. The overall pace of the dining experience, managed by a team of attentive, knowledgeable, well-trained servers, was ideal.
In a dining scene as competitive as Hilton Head’s, Sage Room stands out for its excellent hospitality and commitment to the culinary craft. The establishment is open Monday through Saturday and offers only dinner service with reservations commencing at 6 p.m. For locals, it’s a place that feels like home. For visitors, it’s a discovery worth savoring. And for everyone who steps through its doors, Sage Room provides what every great restaurant strives for: a meal to remember long after the last bite.
| | Visit our blog for bonus content and additional images from Sage Room! | | Lowcountry Quotes & Musings | | |
Q. What Is OLLI and Who Can Join?
OLLI is a national network. There's 124 OLLIs in the country and every state has at least two. It stands for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and the mission is to create lifelong learning opportunities for people that are generally over 50. Bernard Osher, who set up the entire network, believed we do our best learning after 50 because when you're in school, it's basically you sit and you get information. When you come back to it later in life you have life experience to relate it to…you've got a broader lens, so your deeper learning happens.The other thing that happens is as we age, we tend to disconnect from a lot of things. Lifelong learning actually connects you to the outer world in your community and with each other in a social engagement.
Q. What is the cost of an OLLI membership?
Every OLLI pricing structure is different. We are one of the least expensive OLLIs in the country. Membership is only $45 for a year for 365 days, so for example if you join September 1, it's good until August 31 the following year.
Q. For someone who is at or near retirement, how important should something like OLLI be in their decision making process?
We see a lot of people move here because there's a university in their backyard. That's the first thing because a university community tends to be a community that offers a lot of educational engagement and the arts as well. When they find out there's a lifelong learning program, it's like icing on the cake. For somebody who really wants to engage in the community, you want to be looking at this area because it's right here and well established.
Q. If somebody decides to participate in OLLI, how long until they really feel like they are part of it?
I'm going to say it takes one term, which is three or four months. There's the Fall Term, which runs from September to December. Then we come back and January through May is the Winter-Spring Term. Then we have a light Summer Term. Our courses are not like a college course where you're going every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday for 13 weeks of classes that are an hour and a half to two hours long. The class you find at OLLI might be one and a half to two hours long, but you only have it twice. There's enough information for you to learn, but it's not a long-term commitment. People that move here tend to get engaged in a lot of things and don't have 13 weeks to sit in a classroom. It's very easy to take one or two courses to get your feet wet. Then, if you want to get more involved, out of the 167 courses offered you might take five or more the next term. There are no report cards, no grades, and no tests.
| | Recent housing metrics indicate a resilient Lowcountry market that is successfully absorbing inventory where available. One notable trend is the explosive growth in Jasper County. With a median sales price of $380,710 and 58.8% year-over-year increase in closed sales, Jasper has positioned itself as the region's primary growth engine. The 46.8% reduction in median days on market there suggests that buyers are moving aggressively to secure more attainable housing options outside the coastal island and immediate mainland hubs. | | Hilton Head Island continues to set the ceiling for the regional market. With a median sales price of $770,000 and a high median price per square foot of $428, it remains a premium destination. Sales activity on the island grew by 9.4%, a healthy clip considering that inventory contracted by 8%. This indicates that buyer appetite for the island lifestyle remains undeterred by higher price points, even as the median percentage of original price received reached 95.8%. | | |
Bluffton presents a unique middle ground. While it saw a robust 21.8% spike in closed sales, its inventory fell by 9.8%. Interestingly, the median sales price in Bluffton dipped 5.3% to $535,000, even as the price per square foot remained unchanged at $266. This suggests a shift in the mix of homes sold, with smaller-footprint homes or townhomes potentially making up a larger share of closings. Buyers in Bluffton are also facing a slower pace, with the median days on market climbing to 39 days.
Across the board, the data reinforces a "sticky" pricing environment. Sellers are still receiving nearly 96% to 98% of their asking prices. The balance between Jasper’s expanding inventory and the supply crunch in Bluffton and Hilton Head will likely dictate regional price trends and buyer migration patterns.
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Things To Do: Upcoming Events of Interest
JUNE 2026
Moments of Stillness. Society of Bluffton Artists Gallery, Bluffton
➔ June 1-27, 2026. The exhibit features the serene landscapes and soft color palettes of Lowcountry painter Carol Dulude.
High Tide Festival. Charleston
➔ June 5–6, 2026. A waterfront music and lifestyle festival known for high‑energy DJ sets and beach‑party vibes.
5th Annual Black Moses Freedom Festival. St. Helena Island, Penn Center
➔ June 5-6, 2026. Music, culture, healing & liberation on sacred Lowcountry land.
3rd Annual Music Festival of the Lowcountry. Beaufort, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront
➔ June 6, 2026. The best local and regional rock, pop, country, and blues bands provide a full day of live music, complete with delicious food and great vibes.
Juneteenth Parades & Celebrations. Various Locations
➔ Various Dates. Numerous communities around the Lowcountry will commemorate Juneteenth National Independence Day, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, with parades and other celebrations.
Summer Jams and HarbourFest. Hilton Head Island, Shelter Cove
➔ Weekly throughout June. HarbourFest is a family‑friendly event that offers fireworks, live entertainment, and children’s activities. Summer Jams offers evening concerts with food trucks, kids’ zones, and fireworks to kick off summer.
4th Off Main. Hardeeville, Richard Gray Recreation Complex
➔ June 26, 2026. A lively historical interpreter will share stories and insights from America's early history. Donuts and coffee will be available.
JULY 2026
Independence Day Parades & Celebrations. Various Locations
➔ July 4, 2026. Numerous communities around the Lowcountry will commemorate our Nation’s 250th anniversary with parades and other celebratory events.
Beaufort Water Festival Arts & Crafts Market. Beaufort, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront
➔ July 17-26, 2026. An annual tradition especially for crafters and those who appreciate crafts.
Slide Out of July - Kids Waterslide Event. Bluffton, Buckwalter Place Park Amphitheater
➔ July 18, 2026. Waterslides, games, and great music from 104.9 The Surf. There will also be concessions for purchase and prizes for participants.
May River Shrimp Festival. Bluffton, Oyster Factory Park
➔ July 24-25, 2026. The festival is a celebration of the town’s heritage as a fishing village and features a 5K Run / Walk & Sunset Party.
AUGUST 2026
First Thursday Artisan Alley. Hilton Head Island, Shops at Sea Pines Center
➔ August 6, 2026. Running spring through fall, these monthly events provide a celebration of local art, music, food, and community.
First Friday. Downtown Beaufort
➔ August 7, 2026. Running summer through fall, these monthly events provide an opportunity to shop local, complete with art, music, food, and fun.
Second Saturday. Port Royal, Paris Avenue
➔ August 8, 2026. Running summer through fall, these monthly events provide an opportunity to explore this charming little town for a relaxing afternoon of strolling, shopping, and soaking up the coastal vibes.
SEPTEMBER 2026
Blufftember Fest. Bluffton, Oyster Factory Park
➔ September 27, 2026. Oktoberfest Bier Garten (cash bars), local foods, arts & crafts, and live music. Lawn chairs and leashed pets are permitted.
Please note this is not a comprehensive list of all of the wonderful events happening around town. Be sure to check these and other online calendars for current and future events happening in the Lowcountry!
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Our Team
Luxury, Retirement, Relocation. The Lowcountry Lifestyles Team redefines real estate with a unique blend of Southern hospitality and modern sophistication. For us, real estate is about more than just buying and selling properties—it’s about building relationships and creating exceptional experiences.
| | | The Lowcountry Lifestyles Team offers a variety of services that include, buyer representation, seller representation, commercial real estate, new home construction representation, and real estate investment consultation. | | |
David H. Simcox
Associate Broker
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Mackenzie Morris
RealtorⓇ
| | | Call us today if you would like to buy or sell a home! (843) 683-2165 | | |
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