Bluffton, SC

Census Place

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2023 Population

31,323

6.63% 1-year growth

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

0.244% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

4.82%

11.8% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$105,463

5.91% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$444,500

13.9% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

14,872

7.65% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Bluffton, SC had a population of 31.3k people with a median age of 41 and a median household income of $105,463. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Bluffton, SC grew from 29,375 to 31,323, a 6.63% increase and its median household income grew from $99,575 to $105,463, a 5.91% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Bluffton, SC are White (Non-Hispanic) (70.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (9.3%), Other (Hispanic) (5.96%), Two+ (Hispanic) (4.65%), and White (Hispanic) (4%).

None of the households in Bluffton, SC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.1% of the residents in Bluffton, SC are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Bluffton, SC was $444,500, and the homeownership rate was 81.8%.

Most people in Bluffton, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Bluffton, SC was 2 cars per household.

United States South Carolina Beaufort County, SC Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC Jasper and Beaufort (West) Counties--Bluffton and Hilton Head Cities PUMA, SC

Population & Diversity

Bluffton, SC is home to a population of 31.3k people, from which 96.1% are citizens. As of 2023, 7.17% of Bluffton, SC residents were born outside of the country (2.25k people).

In 2023, there were 7.63 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (22.2k people) in Bluffton, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.91k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.87k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.1%

2023 Citizenship

96.9%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96.1% of Bluffton, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Bluffton, SC was 96.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Bluffton, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bluffton, SC

White (Non-Hispanic)
22.2k ± 1.44k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
2.91k ± 1.22k
Other (Hispanic)
1.87k ± 999

14.9%

Hispanic Population

4.68k people

14.9% of the people in Bluffton, SC are hispanic (4.68k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Bluffton, SC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for South Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
58,419 ± 5,900 people
India
18,341 ± 3,319 people
Honduras
13,844 ± 2,885 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 58,419 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 18,341 and Honduras with 13,844.

Foreign-Born Population

7.17%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

2.25k people

5.7%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

1.68k people

As of 2023, 7.17% of Bluffton, SC residents (2.25k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Bluffton, SC was 5.7%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Bluffton, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
627 ± 206
Vietnam
530 ± 183
Gulf War (1990s)
406 ± 255

Bluffton, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.18 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Bluffton, SC employs 14.9k people. The largest industries in Bluffton, SC are Accommodation & Food Services (2,000 people), Retail Trade (1,928 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,771 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($175,943), Information ($100,373), and Utilities ($96,466).

Males in South Carolina have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,636. The income inequality in South Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.464, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

14.9k

2023 Value

± 1,235

7.65%

1 Year growth

± 11%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Bluffton, SC grew at a rate of 7.65%, from 13.8k employees to 14.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bluffton, SC, are Sales & Related Occupations (2,623 people), Management Occupations (2,161 people), and Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (1,390 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bluffton, SC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

14.9k

2023 Value

± 1,235

7.65%

1 Year growth

± 11%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Bluffton, SC grew at a rate of 7.65%, from 13.8k employees to 14.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bluffton, SC, are Accommodation & Food Services (2,000 people), Retail Trade (1,928 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,771 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bluffton, SC, though some of these residents may live in Bluffton, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$59,771

Median earning men ± $7,163

$41,918

Median earning women ± $2,232

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($177,052), Information ($100,593), and Construction ($84,423).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Manufacturing ($61,484), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($53,447), and Construction ($44,150).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Y-Axis

2.54%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.26M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.54% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Carolina.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Measure

In 2022, 0.83% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.688% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.18M), Some college (892k), and Bachelors Degree (705k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Bluffton, SC was $444,500 in 2023, which is 1.47 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $390,200 to $444,500, a 13.9% increase. The homeownership rate in Bluffton, SC is 81.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Bluffton, SC have an average commute time of 26.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Bluffton, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Bluffton, SC is $105,463. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Bluffton, SC was Census Tract 22.02 with a value of $120,588, followed by Census Tract 22.01 and Census Tract 21.02, with respective values of $108,153 and $107,844.

Housing

Property

$444,500

Median Property Value 2023

±$22,606

$9,245

Median Property Taxes

±$873

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Bluffton, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Bluffton, SC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

81.8%

Homeownership

2023

69.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 81.8% of the housing units in Bluffton, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 82.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Bluffton, SC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 22.02
Census Tract 22.01
Census Tract 21.02

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Bluffton, SC was Census Tract 22.02 with a value of $120,588, followed by Census Tract 22.01 and Census Tract 21.02, with respective values of $108,153 and $107,844.

The following map shows all of the places in Bluffton, SC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$105,463

Median Household Income

± $6,148

11.3k

Number of Households

± 997

In 2023, the median household income of the 11.3k households in Bluffton, SC grew to $105,463 from the previous year's value of $99,575.

The following chart displays the households in Bluffton, SC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Bluffton, SC is from South Carolina.

0.464

2022 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.334% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (75.8%)
Worked At Home (13.7%)
Carpooled (9.4%)

In 2023, 75.8% of workers in Bluffton, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13.7%) and those who carpooled to work (9.4%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

26.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Bluffton, SC have a shorter commute time (26.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.52% of the workforce in Bluffton, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Bluffton, SC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Bluffton, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Bluffton, SC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

4.82% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bluffton, SC (1.49k out of 30.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 45 - 54, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bluffton, SC is White, followed by Hispanic and Black.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

93.8% of the population of Bluffton, SC has health coverage, with 48.7% on employee plans, 5.93% on Medicaid, 15.7% on Medicare, 20.7% on non-group plans, and 2.68% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Beaufort County, SC see 1428 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.18% decrease from the previous year (1445 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 806 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 572 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Beaufort County, SC.

1,428 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Beaufort County, SC

Primary care physicians in Beaufort County, SC see an average of 1,428 patients per year. This represents a 1.18% decrease from the previous year (1,445 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Beaufort County, SC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.9% under 18 years, 13.5% between 18 and 34 years, 39.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.2% were men and 49.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.23%

Uninsured

48.7%

Employer Coverage

5.93%

Medicaid

15.7%

Medicare

20.7%

Non-Group

2.68%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bluffton, SC declined by 22% from 7.99% to 6.23%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Bluffton, SC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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