How has your Bluffton neighborhood grown in 10 years? Check out this census map
Greater Bluffton’s population boom over the past decade was largely due to growing areas along Beaufort County’s southernmost border, according to data recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Census Bureau on Thursday released its massive collection of 2020 decennial census data that shows population and demographic changes for every community in the country.
Because the data is organized by census tract, it does not show actual neighborhood or town limits. But it does offer a picture of how certain parts of Greater Bluffton — which includes the town limits and its “doughnut holes “ in unincorporated Beaufort County — grew over the past 10 years.
The county expanded at the 10th highest rate in the state (15.3% growth) — lagging behind neighboring Jasper County (16.2% growth).
Much of Beaufort County’s growth over the past decade was due to Bluffton’s population boom, which more than doubled the town’s size from 2010 to 2020, according to the data.
Census tract data shows that much of Greater Bluffton’s growth occurred along its southern border with Jasper County. This is likely due to the influx of people who moved to bustling communities such as Palmetto Bluff, Mill Creek at Cypress Ridge and the New Riverside area.
Explore the map below to see how your area changed in population and diversity compared to the census count in 2010.
For a comparison between census tracts and actual Bluffton neighborhoods, check out this map:
According to the map, the southernmost census tract was the fastest growing part of Beaufort County. This tract, which runs along the May River and includes Palmetto Bluff, grew 293.3% since 2010.
This area, with a population of 5,966, saw a 730% increase of Asian people, a 325.3% increase in Hispanic people, a 282.7% increase in white people and a 185.4% increase in Black people.
The explosive population growth in this area echoes the number of new homes expected to be built. However, it’s important to note that the census counts population as of April 2020. The Island Packet previously reported that residential development in Bluffton exploded in the first few months of 2021 — figures that would not be calculated in the new census data.
In the first four months of 2021, Bluffton approved 323 new homes, according to previous reporting. The majority of those homes were planned in booming neighborhoods Palmetto Bluff (29 permits), Mill Creek at Cypress Ridge (28) and Hampton Lake (21).
Called Tuesday, representatives from the town of Bluffton’s growth department said it would be hard to use the census tract information to show how exactly each Bluffton neighborhood grew until more data is released and analyzed.
Kevin Icard, Bluffton’s planning and community development manager, said the town plans to use all of the census data in its ongoing comprehensive plan. The town also tracks the number of building permits approved in each neighborhood. That data is provided monthly during town council meetings.
This story was originally published August 17, 2021 at 2:00 PM.
