Bluffton, South Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Bluffton and the Lowcountry STR market posted $352 ADR, 48.7% occupancy and $4,339 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Bluffton, South Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Hilton Head market area is 49%. average monthly revenue in the Hilton Head market area is $4,339. average daily rate in the Hilton Head market area is $352. the top operator in the Hilton Head market area is Vacasa with 710 listings. market score is 51/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Hilton Head regional market, which includes Bluffton. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Bluffton.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Bluffton sits in the South Carolina Lowcountry, and the short-term rental performance figures on this page describe the Lowcountry STR market, a region that also includes Hilton Head Island, Daufuskie Island, Beaufort and Saint Helena Island. In September 2026, that market averaged an ADR of $352 and occupancy of 48.7%, producing average monthly revenue of $4,339 per listing. Entire-place rentals averaged a $353 ADR in the same month. Compared with a year earlier, occupancy is up 7.8% and ADR is up 5.0%, while average monthly revenue is down 3.7%. Investors should read that mix carefully, since the revenue change does not simply follow the occupancy and rate gains.
Annual figures show a market that has grown since 2017, when occupancy averaged 41.6% at a $235 ADR and $2,590 in monthly revenue. Occupancy peaked at 65.2% in 2021, eased to 56.2% in 2024 and 56.6% in 2025, while ADR kept climbing from $278 in 2021 to $371 in 2025. Through the first nine months of 2026, the average is 61.0% occupancy, a $391 ADR and $6,262 in monthly revenue, versus $5,613 for full-year 2025. Summing the monthly seasonal averages gives about $54,176 in annual revenue for a typical listing in the region.
Bluffton itself has a population of 33,157 and is marketed with Hilton Head Island by the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Visitor & Convention Bureau. Visitors come for Old Town Bluffton along the May River, galleries, oysters, boutique dining and river recreation, and the town works as a stopover between Hilton Head and Savannah. The broader Hilton Head Island destination drew roughly 2.8 million visitors in 2024. The traveler base leans toward leisure tourists, golf and beach travelers, retirees, second-home owners and weekenders from the Southeast.
Bedroom, channel and listing-type counts are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Bluffton, so this profile omits them.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 38% |
| Feb | 61% |
| Mar | 70% |
| Apr | 64% |
| May | 63% |
| Jun | 79% |
| Jul | 80% |
| Aug | 59% |
| Sep | 51% |
| Oct | 52% |
| Nov | 37% |
| Dec | 33% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Bluffton are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Hilton Head market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Hilton Head market as a whole, which includes Bluffton, so these counts are not Bluffton-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 710 | 29,602 | ★ 4.50 |
| 2 | LSI Vacation Rental SC | 582 | 14,605 | ★ 4.63 |
| 3 | VacayHome Connect | 480 | 96 | ★ 4.60 |
| 4 | Beach Properties of Hilton Head | 430 | 3,630 | ★ 4.65 |
| 5 | The Vacation Company | 385 | 9,052 | ★ 4.82 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Bluffton?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Bluffton are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 11.1% |
| vrbo | 20.9% |
| both | 68% |
Home Value Trends (Bluffton)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Bluffton are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Bluffton — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Bluffton allows short-term rentals, defined as rentals of fewer than 30 consecutive days, but requires both a Town business license and a separate Short-term Rental Unit Permit before advertising or operating. The business license comes first and costs about $50 to start. The STR permit renews annually, expiring December 31, at roughly $325. Permits are non-transferable, so a change of ownership requires the new owner to obtain a new permit.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, and no cap on rental nights per year. Zoning limits most residential and mixed-use lots to one Short-term Rental Unit per lot, effective January 1, 2021, with an exception in the Neighborhood Core-Historic District. Operating rules include off-street parking at one space per bedroom, quiet hours from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., posted occupancy limits, weekly monitoring of the unit, and a designated local contact who must respond to complaints or emergencies within one hour.
Tax obligations are significant. The Town imposes a 3% local accommodations tax filed monthly, on top of South Carolina state accommodations tax (7% total) and a Beaufort County 1% green space tax, for a combined lodging tax burden of roughly 11%.
Enforcement is rated moderate, and the Town actively enforces the ordinance, including penalties and permit revocation for repeat violations. The current framework took effect January 1, 2021, and the fee figures reflect the FY2026 Master Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2025. These rules apply to the Town of Bluffton, so confirm the requirements for any property in a neighboring jurisdiction.
Market Comparison
The Lowcountry STR market in September 2026 ran 48.7% occupancy at a $352 ADR.
The picture improves over a longer window. The 2026 year to date occupancy is 61.0% at a $391 ADR, versus 56.6% occupancy and a $371 ADR for full-year 2025. September is a shoulder month here, so the monthly figure understates the annual position. In July, occupancy reaches 80.1%, and even the weakest month by occupancy, December at 33.4%, still posts a $291 ADR.
Hilton Head Island, Daufuskie Island, Beaufort, Saint Helena Island and Bluffton share the same performance series in this data, so differences between them come from property type, location and regulation rather than from these averages. Top operator names are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Bluffton, so this profile omits them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bluffton, South Carolina
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