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Living in
Bluffton.
About
Life in Bluffton
The job market is solid with low unemployment at 3.5%, and incomes are strong, but you'll need that financial cushion given housing costs and the fact that most daily activities require a car. The town has genuine character in Old Town with galleries, restaurants, and river access along the May River, plus recurring festivals and an active arts scene, but much of Bluffton's newer growth consists of sprawling planned developments that don't capture that same charm. The climate is humid subtropical—winters are mild but summers are genuinely hot and humid, with August bringing heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, while hurricanes pose a seasonal threat though none have directly hit since 1893.
Bluffton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.3%
Foreign-Born
5.7%
Broadband Internet
96.7%
of households
Population Growth
+33.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.7% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Bluffton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bluffton, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (13.9%), and 6.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.7%
of residents
65 and Older
24.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
16.2%
of households
Married Couples
67.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.54
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 91% above SC average
Rent, home values, and income in Bluffton
In Bluffton, rent runs 91% above the SC average, and home values are 90% above the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
28.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,988
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
83.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2012
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $498,273 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1 pts below SC average
Unemployment in Bluffton
Unemployment in Bluffton is 1 percentage points lower than the SC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Bluffton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute28.3 min avg
How Bluffton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bluffton, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 53% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
Hilton Head Airport (HHH)
Regional airport · few flights118k passengers boarded in 2025
- 66 mi
Charleston International Airport (CHS)
Medium hub3.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 81% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bluffton runs 81% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
62.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
707.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bluffton Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 19 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Beaufort County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Beaufort County, which includes Bluffton, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 19 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $93,750 |
| 2024 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $202,500 |
| 2023 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $119,000 |
| 2022 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2021 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.2M |
| 2020 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $60,250 |
| 2019 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $31,750 |
| 2018 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.7M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Beaufort County, county-wide
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Chatham County, GA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 18 miles from Bluffton) is typically good — 214 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
214
per year
Moderate Days
151
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Chatham County, GA (18 mi away)
Climate91°F summers, 42°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bluffton has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 42°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
78°/56°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/73°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
79°/59°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
63°/42°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
81
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
22
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
108
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61°F | 40°F | 3.28" |
| Feb | 65°F | 43°F | 2.80" |
| Mar | 71°F | 49°F | 3.50" |
| Apr | 78°F | 55°F | 3.39" |
| May | 85°F | 63°F | 3.62" |
| Jun | 90°F | 71°F | 6.65" |
| Jul | 92°F | 74°F | 5.75" |
| Aug | 91°F | 73°F | 5.46" |
| Sep | 86°F | 69°F | 4.35" |
| Oct | 79°F | 59°F | 3.72" |
| Nov | 70°F | 48°F | 2.39" |
| Dec | 64°F | 43°F | 3.21" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bluffton
Uninsured
6.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Bluffton's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Coastal Carolina Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10 mi away · Hardeeville
Novant Health Hilton Head Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.7 mi away · Hilton Head Island
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bluffton
Bluffton's student/teacher ratio is 12.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 51.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
51.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Bluffton (within 15 miles)
Savannah College of Art and Design
13.6 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 15,243 students · in-state tuition $42,665 · 69% graduate · median earnings $51,635 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort Pulaski National Monument, 13 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bluffton
Bluffton has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Pulaski National Monument (13 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Pulaski National Monument
National Monument
13 mi awayReconstruction Era National Historical Park
National Historical Park
20 mi awayFort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
National Historical Park
72 mi awayFort Frederica National Monument
National Monument
74 mi awayCharles Pinckney National Historic Site
National Historic Site
78 mi awayCumberland Island National Seashore
National Seashore
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bluffton
Bluffton Branch Library
120 Palmetto Way, Bluffton
Cities Near Bluffton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bluffton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bluffton FAQ
Is Bluffton, South Carolina affordable?⌄
Bluffton's median rent is $2,256/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $111,281/year. Median home value is $492,100.
Is Bluffton, South Carolina safe?⌄
Bluffton's violent crime rate was 62 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 708 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bluffton, South Carolina?⌄
Bluffton has an unemployment rate of 3.5%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bluffton, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Bluffton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,256/month and median household income is $111,281/year. The median home value is $492,100. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bluffton, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Bluffton is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from