Bluffton, South Carolina

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Bluffton (B-Town) is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,275 at the 2000 census and center of the Bluffton Urban Cluster with a total population of 5,848. However, this separated urban area currently defined as Bluffton is quickly becoming contiguous to that of the significantly larger Hilton Head Island adjacent to it. As designated by the U.S. Census Bureau, Bluffton is included within the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan Area.

Bluffton is known for its rapid development, currently among the fastest in the state of South Carolina, as well as its local newspaper, the hyperlocal free daily newspaper Bluffton Today, which launched in April of 2005.

1 Geography
2 History
3 Demographics
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Bluffton is located at 32°12′45″N, 80°53′50″W (32.212517, -80.897296)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 94.9 km² (36.6 mi²). 88.0 km² (34.0 mi²) of it is land and 6.9 km² (2.7 mi²) of it (7.26%) is water.

[edit] History

Bluffton was a hotbed of Secessionist activity and claims that some of the original seeds for secession were formed under one it its impressive spreading live oak trees.

Bluffton was the object of a Union expedition up the May River on March 19-24,1862. During this skirmish, several prominent buildings in Bluffton were burned, including government buildings. some homes and nearly all of the churches. One of the oldest buildings in Bluffton today is the Church of the Cross by the May River. The only reason this church was spared was because the comanding officer of the fleet was a Methodist.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 1,275 people (2,259 in 2004 estimate), 465 households, and 341 families residing in the town. The population density was 14.5/km² (37.5/mi²). There were 501 housing units at an average density of 5.7/km² (14.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 63.22% White, 32.47% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 3.14% from other races, and 0.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.96% of the population.

There were 465 households out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the town the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $43,281, and the median income for a family was $48,611. Males had a median income of $35,139 versus $24,444 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,327. About 8.6% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 26.2% of those age 65 or over.