Cost of Living in Bluffton, SC
The cost of living in Bluffton, SC is lower than on Hilton Head for buyers and higher for renters. A typical home for sale asks about $635,000, and the federal fair market rent for a two-bedroom is about $2,470 a month.
Cost of Living in Bluffton, SC at a Glance
- Typical home for sale
- about $635,000
- Typical townhome for sale
- about $443,000
- Typical condo for sale
- about $287,000
- Two-bedroom fair market rent
- $2,470 a month (29910, 2027)
- Sales tax
- 6%, none on groceries
- Population
- 36,146 (2024 estimate)
Bluffton is the cheaper place to buy near Hilton Head: a typical home for sale here asks about $635,000, against about $1.65 million for a house on the island. Taxes are the same, since both towns are in Beaufort County. Rent is the exception: newer apartments and high demand from people who work on the island put Bluffton’s fair market rents above the island’s. The town has grown fast, from 27,703 people in 2020 to an estimated 36,146 in 2024. Compare the island on Hilton Head cost of living.
What a Home Costs in Bluffton
Prices below are the middle asking price of homes for sale now, from the local listings, and they change daily. Most of Bluffton’s homes are in planned neighborhoods with a property owners’ association and a yearly fee; ask what it covers before you compare prices.
All homes
Single-family houses, townhomes and condos together. See Bluffton real estate.
Rent in Bluffton
Two bedrooms
About $2,470 a month. One bedroom about $2,270, three bedrooms about $2,940.
Two bedrooms
About $2,760 a month. Three bedrooms about $3,290.
Two bedrooms
About $1,940 to $2,040 a month, depending on the zip code.
These are HUD’s fair market rents for the year from October 2026, by zip code: what a typical modest rental costs with utilities. Listings for new apartments often ask more. See long-term rentals in Bluffton.
Taxes in Bluffton
Sales tax is 6% in Bluffton, the same as on Hilton Head, and South Carolina doesn’t tax groceries. The state doesn’t tax Social Security, and residents 65 and older get deductions on other retirement income: see South Carolina retirement taxes.
Property tax depends most on how the home is used. A home you live in is assessed at 4% of its value; a second home or rental at 6%, and it pays the school operating tax as well. Apply to the Beaufort County Assessor for the 4% rate after you move. Cars pay a county property tax every year too. See Beaufort County property taxes and the new resident checklist.
Utilities
Water and sewer come from BJWSA. Power comes from Palmetto Electric Cooperative or Dominion Energy, depending on the address, so ask which one serves a home before you buy. Sparklight is the main cable internet provider. Start and stop service on Bluffton utilities.
Home Insurance and Flood Zones
A lender requires flood insurance on a home in a flood zone marked A or V, and a new flood policy usually waits 30 days before it covers you. Homes near the May River and the marshes are the ones to check. Get an insurance quote on the address before you make an offer: see insurance near Hilton Head and flood zones.
Health care is closer each year: Bluffton’s first hospital is due to take patients in early 2027, and the town has two 24-hour emergency rooms now. See Bluffton hospitals, and for the bigger picture, is Bluffton a good place to live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated
What is the cost of living in Bluffton, SC?
Lower than Hilton Head for buyers and higher for renters. Homes for sale ask well under half the island’s price for a house, while the federal fair market rent for a two-bedroom in 29910 is about $2,470 a month in 2027, above the island’s.
Is Bluffton cheaper than Hilton Head?
To buy, yes, by a wide margin. To rent, no: Bluffton’s fair market rents run a few hundred dollars a month above Hilton Head’s. Taxes are the same, since both are in Beaufort County.
What is the sales tax in Bluffton, SC?
6%, the same as Hilton Head. Groceries carry no state sales tax.
How much is rent in Bluffton, SC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a two-bedroom is about $2,470 a month in 29910 and about $2,760 in 29909 for the year from October 2026. New apartments often ask more.
Are property taxes high in Bluffton?
Not for a home you live in. South Carolina assesses an owner-occupied home at 4% of its value, against 6% for a second home or rental, and the 4% home skips the school operating tax. You have to apply to the Beaufort County Assessor for the lower rate.
Who provides utilities in Bluffton?
BJWSA supplies water and sewer. Power comes from Palmetto Electric Cooperative or Dominion Energy, depending on the address, and Sparklight is the main cable internet provider.
