Rents are 12% below what Bluffton's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,096 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
February. Asking rents in Bluffton usually run 1.1% below trend in February and 1.2% above it in July, about $48 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Bluffton is 0.5% below its high of $2,106 in April 2026, at $2,096 as of September 2026.
Rent in Bluffton changed +1.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 54 South Carolina cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.1%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Bluffton rose 52.5% while median household income rose 34.9% ($82,481 to $111,281). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Bluffton is 54.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($111,281) is $2,782 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,310); a 3-bedroom is $2,805.
Hardeeville, 12 miles away, rents for 21% less ($1,658/mo), about $5,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Bluffton. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Bluffton, SC is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 51.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Bluffton, SC has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Bluffton, SC has climbed from $1,475 to $2,096, a 42.1% change over five years. Median household income rose from $89,245 to $111,281 between 2021 and 2024, a 24.7% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 20.2% since 2021, moving from about 27,596 residents to roughly 33,157. Renters now make up 16.6% of households, compared with 18.6% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 51.9% of adults here, versus 47% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in Bluffton, SC reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
Discussions about Bluffton
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Bluffton on your salary?
At $2,096/mo, how Bluffton rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Bluffton rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Bluffton. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Bluffton
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Bluffton is $2,096/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,010/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,310/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,085/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,805/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($111,281/yr), Bluffton ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Bluffton?
Is rent going up or down in Bluffton?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Bluffton?
Has rent outpaced income in Bluffton?
Which Bluffton neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Bluffton rent compare to other cities in South Carolina?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Bluffton?
At $2,096/mo, rent takes ~23% of Bluffton's median household income ($111,281/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Bluffton.
No discussions yet.