The electric multipole moments, dipole and quadrupole polarizability and hyperpolarizability of hydrogen chloride have been determined from an extensive and systematic study based on finite-field fourth-order many-body perturbation theory and coupled-cluster calculations. Ou best values for the dipole, quadrupole, octopole and hexadecapole moment at the experimental internuclear separation of R-e = 2.408 645a(0) are mu = 0.423Xea(0), Theta = 2.67ea(0)(2), Omega = 3.94ea(0)(3), and Phi = 13.37ea(0)(4), respectively. For the mean and the anisotropy of the dipole polarizability alpha(alpha beta) we recommend <(alpha)over bar> = 17.41+/-0.02 and Delta alpha = 1.60+/-0.03e(2)a(0)(3)E(h)(-1). For the mean value of the first dipole hyperpolarizability beta(alpha beta gamma) we advance <(beta)over bar>=-6.8+/-0.3e(3)a(0)(3)E(h)(-7). Extensive calculations with a [8s6p6d3f/5s4p2d1f] basis set at the CCSD(T) level of theory yield the R-dependence of the Cartesian components and the mean of the second dipole hyperpolarizability gamma(alpha beta gamma delta) (R)/e(4)a(0)(4)E(h)(-3) around R-e as y(zzzz)(R) = 1907 + 1326(R-R-e) + 570(R-R-e)(2) + 10(R-R-e)(3)-40(R-R-e)(4), gamma(xxxx)(R) = 3900 + 747(R-R-e)-65(R-R-e)(2)-38(R-R-e)(3)-7(R-R-e)(4), gamma(xxzz)(R) = 962 + 222(R- 21(R-R-e)(3)-9(R-R-e)(4), with z as the molecular axis. The present investigation suggests an estimate of (26.7+/-0.3) x 10(2)e(4)a(0)(4)E(h)(-3) for the Hartree-Fock limit of the mean value <(gamma)over bar> at R-e. CCSD(T) calculations with basis sets of [8s6p6d3f/5s4p2d1f] and [9s7p5d4f/6s5p4d1f] size and MP4 calculations with the even larger [15s12p7d3f/12s7p2d1f] give (7.0+/-0.3) x 10(2)e(4)a(0)(4)E(h)(-3) for the electron correlation effects for this property, thus leading to a recommended value of <(gamma)over bar>=(33.7+/-0.6) x 10(2)e(4)a(0)(4)E(h)(-3). For the quadrupole polarizability C-alpha beta,C- gamma delta/e(2)a(0)(4)E(h)(-1) at R-e our best values are C-zz,C-zz=41.68, C-xz,C-xz=26.11, and C-xx,C-xx=35.38, calculated with the [9s7p5d4f/6s5p4d1f] basis set at the CCSD(T) level of theory. The following CCSD(T) values were obtained with [8s6p6d3f/5s4p2d1f] at R-e : dipole-quadrupole polarizability A(alpha,beta gamma)/e(2)a(0)(3)E(h)(-1), A(z,zz)=14.0, and A(x,xx)=3.75, dipole-octopole polarizability E-alpha,E-beta gamma delta/e(2)a(0)(4)E(h)(-1), E-z,E-zzz=20.0, and E-x,E-xxx=3.0, and dipole-dipole-quadrupole hyperpolarizability B-alpha beta,B-gamma delta/e(3)a(0)(4)E(h)(-2). B-zz,B-zz=-277, B-xz,B-xz=-261, B-xx,B-zz=246, and B-xx,B-xx=-416.A comparison of the mean B polarizability and hyperpolarizability of some 18-electron systems shows that <(alpha)over bar>(H2S) > <(alpha)over bar>(HCl) > <(alpha)over bar>(HOOH) > <(alpha)over bar>(HOF) > <(alpha)over bar(Ar) > <(alpha)over bar(F-2), and <(gamma)over bar>(H2S) > <(gamma)over bar>(HCl) > <(gamma)over bar>HOOH) > <(gamma)over bar>(HOF) approximate to <(gamma)over bar>(Ar) > <(gamma)over bar>(F-2).