Bluffton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Port Royal
Bluffton
Opportunity
74 · Top 16%
vs90 · Top 1%
Growth
69 · Top 18%
vs79 · Top 5%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
17 · Bottom 11%
vs17 · Bottom 11%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 20%
vs70 · Bottom 33%
Schools
40 · Bottom 36%
vs66 · Top 32%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs92 · Top 48%
Economic stability
69 · Top 31%
vs65 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Port Royal | Bluffton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,579 | 33,157 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,870 | $111,281 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,031 | $63,413 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 916/sq mi | 636/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $347,200 | $492,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,726 | $2,256 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 38.1% | 83.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.0% | 2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.4% | 51.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 4.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 53 | 366 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 11.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 211.8% | -30.2% | 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 | 45.0" | 48.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.0 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 25.1 | 42.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 8.30 | 12.81 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 30.0% | 46.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 40.1% | 50.1% | 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
Port Royal
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding, earthquake.
Bluffton
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.
Port Royal
60
Your Score
57
Area Score
Bluffton
69
Your Score
67
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Port Royal, SC · Bluffton, SC · How this is calculated: methodology