The typical owner-occupied home in Bluffton is worth about $492,100, 90% above the South Carolina median of $259,000 and 48% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,988 a year in property taxes, about 0.61% of their home's value, higher than the South Carolina rate of 0.48%. The median household earns $111,281 a year, so the median home costs 4.4 times the median income (3.7 times for South Carolina). 83% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 74% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Bluffton at a glance
| Bluffton | South Carolina | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $492,100 | $259,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,988 | $1,251 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.61% | 0.48% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $111,281 | $69,324 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 83% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 74% | 57% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,157 | $1,529 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 21.2% | 19.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $2,256 | $1,180 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.0% | 31.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 2012 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 6.4% | 13.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 33,157 | 5,296,225 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Bluffton
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Bluffton home of $492,100 with 20% down costs about $3,104 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,923, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $133,007 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 33% of the median Bluffton household income of $111,281; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $412,000.
The median rent here is $2,256 a month, so owning the median home costs about $848 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $98,420 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $393,680 |
| Principal and interest | $2,648 |
| Property taxes (0.61% a year) | $250 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $205 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $3,104 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $17,224 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $483,187 |
| Principal and interest | $3,250 |
| Property taxes (0.61% a year) | $250 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $205 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $218 |
| Total per month | $3,923 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Bluffton
What is the median home value in Bluffton?
About $492,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Bluffton?
Homeowners pay a median $2,988 a year, which is about 0.61% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Bluffton?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,104 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $133,007 a year.
More about Bluffton
- Mortgage Refinance in Bluffton
- Debt Relief in Bluffton
- Home Equity Loans in Bluffton
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data