Bluffton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bluffton
Hilton Head Island
Opportunity
90 · Top 1%
vs82 · Top 6%
Growth
79 · Top 5%
vs55 · Top 41%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
17 · Bottom 11%
vs17 · Bottom 11%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 33%
vs63 · Bottom 24%
Schools
66 · Top 32%
vs63 · Top 35%
Access
92 · Top 48%
vs83 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
65 · Top 39%
vs33 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Bluffton | Hilton Head Island | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,157 | 37,911 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,281 | $94,657 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $63,413 | $73,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 636/sq mi | 917/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $492,100 | $687,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,256 | $1,479 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.4% | 78.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.0% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.9% | 56.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.3% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 366 | 138 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.0 | 3.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -30.2% | -38.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 45.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 19.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.7 | 59.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.81 | 11.00 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 46.4% | 43.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 50.1% | 45.7% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bluffton
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding, earthquake.
Hilton Head Island
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Bluffton
69
Your Score
67
Area Score
Hilton Head Island
59
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Bluffton, SC · Hilton Head Island, SC · How this is calculated: methodology