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CITY

Bluffton

South Carolina · 36,807 residents (2025 est.) · 52.129 sq mi
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Part of the Hilton Head Island metro area
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Notable rankings
#177Fastest growingof 6,811+19.6%
The short version

Bluffton is significantly wealthier than the US average, with a median household income of $111,281. The city has more than doubled in size since 2000, adding 31,882 residents. 52% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than tripled since 2000, reaching $492,100. Poverty is rare here, at 4.3% of residents. It ranks in the top 5% of US cities for household income.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
52% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 108%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
33,157
+2501%since 2000
from 1,275 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
636 / sq mi
+245%since 2009
from 185 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
42.7
+19%since 2000
from 35.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:36,807 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
09K18K27K36K1990201020202024Bluffton
202433K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.4%(1,474)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.7%(2,206)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.1%(2,368)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.5%(2,156)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.1%(1,019)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 349.3%(3,092)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4417.4%(5,781)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 549.9%(3,282)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.9%(3,625)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7416%(5,311)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846%(1,996)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.6%(847)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$111,281
+41%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,281 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$63,413
+266%since 2000
from $17,327 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
73.1%
+38.9 ptssince 2009
from 34.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
4.3%
−8.3 ptssince 2000
from 12.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.470
+5%since 2010
from 0.449 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information13.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services9.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration7.1%
US avg: 4.8%
Wholesale trade6.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade6.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance4.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Arts, entertainment, food4%
US avg: 1.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$492,100
+108%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $129,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$2,256
+72%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $718 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
83.4%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 80.6% in 2000
16.6% rent
Vacancy rate
6.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
21.9%
−33.9 ptssince 2009
from 55.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
47.5%
+3.1 ptssince 2009
from 44.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.4
−1%since 2009
from 4.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
86
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Bluffton on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic60.5%(771)
Black32.2%(411)
Hispanic / Latino6%(76)
Asian0.4%(5)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic74.8%(24,791)
Black9%(2,984)
Hispanic / Latino10.5%(3,471)
Asian1.4%(478)
Other4.3%(1,433)
Diversity Score
52
−19%since 2009
from 65 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican3.6%(1,203)
Mexican2%(673)
Salvadoran0.9%(288)
Honduran0.6%(209)
Argentine0.6%(202)
Venezuelan0.5%(168)
Nicaraguan0.2%(76)
Costa Rican0.2%(61)
Uruguayan0.2%(57)
Colombian0.2%(56)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Chilean0.1%(43)
Spaniard0.1%(21)
Panamanian0.1%(20)
Bolivian0.1%(20)
Cuban0%(13)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.5%(166)
Filipino0.4%(117)
Korean0.2%(75)
Thai0.2%(62)
Indonesian0.1%(34)
Chinese0.1%(21)
Ancestry
Irish15.1%(4,994)
German14.3%(4,734)
English13.5%(4,464)
Italian8.8%(2,903)
Polish4%(1,310)
American3.9%(1,303)
French3.1%(1,029)
Scottish2.5%(823)
Swedish2%(661)
Russian1.6%(530)
Slovak0.9%(309)
Welsh0.9%(287)
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.7%(247)
Hungarian0.7%(246)
Ukrainian0.7%(237)
Norwegian0.7%(216)
Greek0.6%(199)
Dutch0.5%(167)
Canadian0.5%(159)
Finnish0.4%(146)
Portuguese0.4%(143)
Czech0.4%(135)
British0.4%(123)
Danish0.4%(117)
Arab0.3%(97)
Austrian0.2%(78)
Swiss0.2%(66)
Iranian0.2%(61)
Lebanese0.2%(57)
Ethiopian0.2%(56)
Turkish0.2%(50)
Croatian0.1%(42)
Syrian0.1%(40)
Romanian0.1%(39)
Lithuanian0.1%(38)
Macedonian0.1%(19)
Slovene0%(12)
RANKED:Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Italian population · Largest Polish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
51.9%
+34.7 ptssince 2000
from 17.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
96.8%
+20.2 ptssince 2000
from 76.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
21.3%
+16.5 ptssince 2000
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.3 min
+59%since 2000
from 17.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
74.5%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 78.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.7%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
15.5%
+10.6 ptssince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.0%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
1.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.2%
−7.2 ptssince 2011
from 9.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
60.6%
−17.1 ptssince 2011
from 77.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
8.0%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
46.2%
−17.4 ptssince 2009
from 63.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 48.7% in 2009
Female
50.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 51.3% in 2009
Foreign born
5.7%
−10.9 ptssince 2009
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
11.8%
−34.8 ptssince 2009
from 46.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
8.9%
+1.5 ptssince 2012
from 7.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.3%
−68.7 ptssince 2013
from 75.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
96.7%
+10.1 ptssince 2017
from 86.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
89.8%
+7.2 ptssince 2016
from 82.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
6.8%
−5.7 ptssince 2016
from 12.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married23.7%(3,071)
Married69.2%(8,963)
Widowed1.7%(224)
Divorced5.4%(698)
Women 15+
Never married16.7%(2,358)
Married65.9%(9,323)
Widowed5.2%(740)
Divorced12.2%(1,732)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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BLUFFTON VS
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BLUFFTON VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Bluffton, South Carolina?

Bluffton, South Carolina has about 33,157 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Bluffton, South Carolina?

The typical household in Bluffton, South Carolina earns about $111,281 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Bluffton, South Carolina expensive?

In Bluffton, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $492,100, and the typical rent is about $2,256 a month.

How educated are people in Bluffton, South Carolina?

About 51.9% of adults age 25 and over in Bluffton, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Bluffton, South Carolina?

About 4.3% of people in Bluffton, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Bluffton, South Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Bluffton, South Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 32,444 residents, a change of about 4550 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →