Awendaw, McClellanville & Huger: Which Lowcountry Community is Right for You?
Living in Awendaw, McClellanville, or Huger means trading suburban conveniences for live oaks, marsh views, and a pace of life that's hard to find anywhere else near Charleston — but each community offers something genuinely different, and the details matter.
If you've been dreaming about a home north of Mount Pleasant — something with acreage, water access, or just real quiet — you've probably started looking at these three communities. They all sit along the Highway 17 corridor or just inland from it, and they all offer an escape from the subdivisions and roundabouts that define most of the Charleston metro. But Awendaw, McClellanville, and Huger are not interchangeable, and choosing the right one depends entirely on what you're actually looking for in daily life.
We work with buyers considering these areas regularly, and the same questions come up every time. Here's what we'd tell you if we were sitting across the table from you.
Awendaw: The Closest Thing to Rural Without Giving Up Convenience
Awendaw sits just 15 to 20 minutes north of Mount Pleasant, which makes it the easiest "yes" for buyers who want land and nature but aren't ready to fully disconnect. You're still close enough to Costco, Roper St. Francis Hospital, and the restaurants along Highway 17 to feel like you haven't left civilization behind.
Over the past several years, Awendaw has attracted a wave of high-end custom home construction — estates on five or ten acres, equestrian properties, gated communities with serious square footage. For buyers searching for a forever home with genuine elbow room, Awendaw is often the answer.
The outdoor access is exceptional. The Awendaw Passage of the Palmetto Trail runs right through the community, and anglers and boaters have easy access to Bull's Bay — one of the most productive stretches of coastal water in South Carolina. For golfers, proximity to Bull's Bay Golf Club is a genuine draw — a prestigious private club designed by the late Mike Strantz that carries a waitlist and is widely regarded as the premier golf experience in the Lowcountry. And if you haven't been to Awendaw Green yet, add it to your list — it's an open-air music venue on a working farm that has become one of the most beloved gathering spots in the Lowcountry. It's the kind of place that makes you feel like you've found something real.
What to Know Before You Buy in Awendaw
The tradeoffs are real. Home prices have climbed significantly - the 2025 median sale price was just over $1M. Highway 17 is your only main artery, which means when there's an accident, you're sitting. And while property values are strong, the local infrastructure — public works and services — hasn't always kept pace.
These aren't dealbreakers. For many buyers, Awendaw is the right answer. But you need to know what you're choosing.
McClellanville: Real Village Life, 40 Minutes from Everything
There is nowhere else in Charleston County quite like McClellanville. About 35 to 40 minutes north of Mount Pleasant, this historic fishing village is the kind of place that people either immediately recognize as home or quickly realize isn't for them — and both reactions are completely valid.
The Village area is stunning. Live oaks older than the country itself line streets of painted coastal cottages. There are no chain restaurants, no big box stores, no new developments creeping in. Neighbors know each other by name. The annual Shrimp Festival draws the whole community together every fall, and it genuinely feels like something you can't manufacture.
For serious boaters and anglers, McClellanville may be the single best home base on the South Carolina coast. It sits at the gateway to Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge — one of the most pristine and undeveloped stretches of barrier islands and tidal creeks on the entire Atlantic seaboard. If getting out on the water is central to how you want to live, this location is hard to argue with.
What to Know Before You Buy in McClellanville
Living here requires a certain mindset. A major grocery store is a 40-minute round trip. The nearest hospital is farther than that. If something comes up, you are driving. Buyers who thrive in McClellanville are planners — they keep a stocked pantry, they don't mind the distance, and they see the isolation as part of the point.
Flood risk is also not something to gloss over. Hurricane Hugo's storm surge exceeded 20 feet in parts of this town. Significant portions remain in serious flood zones today. Before you fall in love with a property here, we strongly recommend understanding the FEMA flood zone designation and running flood insurance quotes so you can understand the true cost of ownership.
Huger (Pronounced "U-gee"): Affordability, Space, and the Forest at Your Door
Huger is the one on this list that most people outside the area haven't heard of — and that's exactly what makes it interesting right now. Tucked inland near the Francis Marion National Forest at the intersection of Highways 41 and 402, Huger is seeing more new construction activity than almost anywhere else in Charleston County. Buyers who need good square footage at a reasonable price point are finding it here.
With only about 42 people per square mile, Huger is genuinely quiet in a way that very few places this close to Charleston still are. If you hunt, hike, ride horses, or simply want to live surrounded by forest without needing to drive two hours to get there, this area delivers. The national forest is essentially your backyard.
For buyers who've been priced out of Awendaw but still want that rural Lowcountry feel, Huger is worth a serious look. The homes are newer, the lots are often larger for the price, and the growth happening right now means this community is still in the process of becoming something.
What to Know Before You Buy in Huger
The primary challenge is Highway 41. As development has accelerated faster than road infrastructure, traffic on that corridor has become a real issue. Commutes to Mount Pleasant or North Charleston can be long and occasionally stressful, especially when construction is active. Amenities are minimal — there are very few local restaurants or shops, and you'll be making most of your daily runs into Wando or Cainhoy.
This is a community for people who are genuinely comfortable being farther out. If your lifestyle requires frequent trips for work, errands, or social activities, it's worth stress-testing that commute before you commit.
A Few Things Every Buyer Should Know Across All Three Areas
Regardless of which community you're drawn to, several practical realities apply everywhere in this part of Charleston County.
Septic systems and well water are common. Public utilities don't reach every part of these communities. Septic and well inspections are musts during the inspection phase. Don't skip them.
Flood zones matter everywhere, not just in McClellanville. Parts of Awendaw and Huger also carry flood considerations depending on the specific property. We always walk buyers through FEMA zone designations and insurance implications before they make an offer.
Budget for a screened porch. Living adjacent to marshes and national forest means mosquitoes from April through October. A screened outdoor space isn't a luxury out here — it's how you actually enjoy the property you're paying for.
Ready to Explore These Communities? Let's Talk.
Choosing between Awendaw, McClellanville, and Huger is ultimately a lifestyle decision as much as a real estate one. The right answer depends on how you work, how you want to spend your weekends, what your tolerance is for commute time and distance from services, and what you're hoping your daily life looks like.
We've helped a lot of buyers think through exactly this decision, and we'd genuinely love to do the same for you. Schedule a consultation with our team — we'll walk through your priorities, map out neighborhoods that actually fit your life, and make sure you understand everything you're stepping into before you offer on a home.
At Lauren Zurilla & Associates, we're here to help you evaluate the full picture so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.
Warmly,
Lauren, Tina and Gigi | Lauren Zurilla & Associates
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