Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Bluffton, South Carolina
A $445,000 home here costs
$3,467per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $148,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,426. The real number is $1,040 higher every month, 43% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Beaufort County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Bluffton against Beaufort County and South Carolina
| Measure | Bluffton | Beaufort County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $444,500 | $407,600 |
| Median property tax | $2,660 | $2,022 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.598% | 0.496% |
| Median gross rent | $2,187 | $1,484 |
| Population | 31,323 | 192,123 |
The weather behind that power bill
Bluffton sits in Beaufort County, which averages a high of 91.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 40.1°F in its coldest, with 45.02" of precipitation a year and 38% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,570 cooling and 1,732 heating degree days, which is what sets the $165 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Beaufort County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Beaufort County
Full Beaufort County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Bluffton averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Bluffton every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Bluffton I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Bluffton?
A $445,000 home in Bluffton, South Carolina costs approximately $3,467 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,426 principal and interest, $222 property tax, $214 homeowners insurance, $233 utilities and $371 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Bluffton?
Bluffton has an effective property tax rate of 0.598%, based on a median home value of $444,500 and median real estate taxes of $2,660. That is higher than the Beaufort County average of 0.496%.
What is the average home price in Bluffton?
The median owner-occupied home value in Bluffton, South Carolina is $444,500, against $407,600 across Beaufort County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bluffton?
Median gross rent in Bluffton is $2,187 a month, against $3,467 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Bluffton?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Bluffton, South Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $148,500 a year. That covers the full $3,467 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Bluffton, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for South Carolina.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.