Population 55,743 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bluffton
Household size in Bluffton
| Period | Bluffton | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.72 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.85 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.72 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.49 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.23 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Bluffton run a little small, averaging 2.49 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.72, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the northeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bluffton
| Period | Bluffton | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.3 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.9 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.1 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.3 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +9.0 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Bluffton skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.3, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bluffton
| Period | Bluffton | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Bluffton: 5.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 6.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only eight of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bluffton
Renters in Bluffton
| Period | Bluffton | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.4% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.0% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.3% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.4% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −10.0 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 21.4% of households in Bluffton rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly three in ten owners (28.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the southwest. The renter share is down 10.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bluffton
| Period | Bluffton | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.5% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.5% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −9.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Bluffton as nationally: 8.5%, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in South Carolina as a whole (11.8%). Vacancy has fallen 9.9 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bluffton
| Period | Bluffton | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2000 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 2001 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 2004 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2007 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Bluffton is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2007, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 2000 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the southeast. Only two of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bluffton
| Period | Bluffton | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,173 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,327 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,593 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,169 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$996 | +$514 | +$606 |
The median renter in Bluffton pays $2,169 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $996 a month since 2006–10, up 85%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 34.5% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bluffton
Bachelor's degrees in Bluffton
| Period | Bluffton | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.9% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.4% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.1% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 48.2% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.3 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Bluffton: 48.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 15.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 16 of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bluffton
| Period | Bluffton | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.9% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.4% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.6% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.7% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Bluffton: 95.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 6.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bluffton
| Period | Bluffton | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.4 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Bluffton has been low: just 2.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 5.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bluffton compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluffton | 2.49 | 45.3 | 5.5% | 21.4% | 8.5% | 2007 | $2,169 | 48.2% | 95.7% | 2.4% |
| Pritchardville | 2.59 | 50.2 | 3.6% | 16.4% | 2.3% | 2013 | $2,381 | 54.0% | 97.0% | 1.4% |
| Okatie | 1.92 | 67.3 | 1.9% | 11.6% | 9.6% | 2003 | $2,037 | 51.7% | 97.9% | 4.7% |
| Brighton Beach | 2.19 | 59.6 | 4.2% | 17.7% | 16.3% | 1992 | $1,905 | 33.0% | 99.4% | 0.2% |
| Limehouse | 2.04 | 47.7 | 6.9% | 17.2% | 8.3% | 1994 | $1,381 | 26.0% | 89.1% | 1.5% |
| Hardeeville | 2.69 | 49.5 | 14.2% | 18.7% | 14.6% | 2006 | $1,232 | 30.6% | 90.5% | 2.9% |
| Daufuskie Island | 1.75 | 59.1 | 3.8% | 1.5% | 44.0% | 2005 | $1,677 | 78.7% | 98.7% | 3.4% |
| Switzerland | 2.13 | 60.2 | 3.8% | 27.8% | 9.0% | 2010 | $1,342 | 39.2% | 96.0% | 8.8% |
| Hilton Head Island | 2.10 | 58.2 | 6.9% | 20.8% | 24.1% | 1991 | $1,706 | 55.2% | 93.6% | 2.9% |
| Purysburgh | 3.61 | 31.3 | 20.1% | 19.4% | 14.0% | 1999 | $1,197 | 24.2% | 75.8% | 6.4% |
| Port Royal | 3.44 | 30.3 | 8.0% | 52.5% | 7.2% | 2001 | $2,028 | 42.3% | 96.0% | 1.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Asheboro, NC · Morgan Hill, CA · Winter Garden, FL · Taunton, MA · Stratford, CT · Olive Branch, MS · Lincoln, CA · Beaumont, CA · Portage, MI · New Castle, DE
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bluffton. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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