Renting
Data from November 2026
Renting in South Carolina
The typical rent in South Carolina is $1,180 a month (Average 2020–2024). HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms is about $1,391 (Fiscal year 2027, population-weighted average): paying it without spending more than 30% of income takes $26.75 an hour full time. Here are the figures by size and by county, how many households spend too much, and where to ask for help.
Key numbers in South Carolina
- Typical rent
- $1,180
- per month, Average 2020–2024
- 16% less than the U.S.
- Fair market rent, 2 BR
- $1,391
- HUD, Fiscal year 2027, weighted average
- From $885 to $2,010 depending on the county.
- Wage needed
- $26.75
- per hour, 2 bedrooms
- About $55,640 a year to stay under 30% of income.
- Burdened households
- 52%
- spend 30% or more on rent
- Nationwide, 51%.
Fair market rent
What HUD sets by size
HUD publishes a fair market rent every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they cover. Here it runs from the cheapest to the most expensive area of South Carolina, with the hourly wage it takes to pay it without going past 30% of income (40 hours a week).
Includes basic utilities. It is neither the lowest nor the highest rent on the market: it is a reference point.
-
Studio
Wage: $12.37–$34.08 an hour
Lowest: $643 Highest: $1,772
-
1 bedroom
Wage: $13.02–$35.46 an hour
Lowest: $677 Highest: $1,844
-
2 bedrooms
Wage: $17.02–$38.65 an hour
Lowest: $885 Highest: $2,010
-
3 bedrooms
Wage: $20.27–$46.06 an hour
Lowest: $1,054 Highest: $2,395
-
4 bedrooms
Wage: $22.37–$55.38 an hour
Lowest: $1,163 Highest: $2,880
Each bar runs from the cheapest area to the most expensive; all share one scale that starts at zero. Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)
Rent burden
How many households spend too much
HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In South Carolina, 52% of renter households are in that position; nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).
Paying too much rent leaves little for food, transportation and savings. If that is you, the agencies below can guide you for free.
52%
of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
595,868 renter households in South Carolina
- Spend half or more of their income 26%
- Spend 30% or more, but less than half 26%
- Spend less than 30% 48%
By place
Every county, with its figure
The 2-bedroom fair market rent, the typical rent, the hourly wage it takes and the share of burdened households, in every county in South Carolina. Highest fair market rent first.
| Beaufort County | $2,010 | $1,653 | $38.65 | 53% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley County | $1,884 | $1,654 | $36.23 | 51% |
| Charleston County | $1,884 | $1,620 | $36.23 | 53% |
| Dorchester County | $1,884 | $1,463 | $36.23 | 56% |
| York County | $1,785 | $1,387 | $34.33 | 51% |
| Jasper County | $1,579 | $1,328 | $30.37 | 48% |
| Greenville County | $1,507 | $1,262 | $28.98 | 51% |
| Pickens County | $1,507 | $972 | $28.98 | 56% |
| Horry County | $1,504 | $1,255 | $28.92 | 52% |
| Sumter County | $1,338 | $1,057 | $25.73 | 52% |
| Aiken County | $1,329 | $1,062 | $25.56 | 45% |
| Edgefield County | $1,329 | $720 | $25.56 | 51% |
| Richland County | $1,226 | $1,228 | $23.58 | 59% |
| Lexington County | $1,226 | $1,178 | $23.58 | 48% |
| Calhoun County | $1,226 | $1,052 | $23.58 | 41% |
| Fairfield County | $1,226 | $938 | $23.58 | 62% |
| Saluda County | $1,226 | $851 | $23.58 | 47% |
| Spartanburg County | $1,196 | $1,084 | $23.00 | 50% |
| Georgetown County | $1,158 | $1,204 | $22.27 | 59% |
| Florence County | $1,121 | $954 | $21.56 | 51% |
| Laurens County | $1,119 | $880 | $21.52 | 47% |
| Chester County | $1,103 | $853 | $21.21 | 45% |
| Anderson County | $1,102 | $989 | $21.19 | 48% |
| Darlington County | $1,093 | $896 | $21.02 | 56% |
| Lancaster County | $1,069 | $959 | $20.56 | 57% |
| Union County | $1,003 | $804 | $19.29 | 53% |
| Kershaw County | $954 | $971 | $18.35 | 55% |
| Newberry County | $933 | $872 | $17.94 | 44% |
| Colleton County | $913 | $949 | $17.56 | 55% |
| Orangeburg County | $906 | $841 | $17.42 | 54% |
| Oconee County | $894 | $881 | $17.19 | 48% |
| Barnwell County | $892 | $740 | $17.15 | 47% |
| Bamberg County | $889 | $815 | $17.10 | 56% |
| Greenwood County | $885 | $898 | $17.02 | 50% |
| Cherokee County | $885 | $869 | $17.02 | 46% |
| Hampton County | $885 | $843 | $17.02 | 56% |
| Lee County | $885 | $823 | $17.02 | 53% |
| Abbeville County | $885 | $799 | $17.02 | 42% |
| Williamsburg County | $885 | $765 | $17.02 | 55% |
| Clarendon County | $885 | $763 | $17.02 | 54% |
| Chesterfield County | $885 | $762 | $17.02 | 52% |
| McCormick County | $885 | $696 | $17.02 | 54% |
| Marlboro County | $885 | $689 | $17.02 | 52% |
| Dillon County | $885 | $679 | $17.02 | 46% |
| Marion County | $885 | $669 | $17.02 | 49% |
| Allendale County | $885 | $662 | $17.02 | 45% |
- Beaufort $2,010$38.65
- Berkeley $1,884$36.23
- Charleston $1,884$36.23
- Dorchester $1,884$36.23
- York $1,785$34.33
- Jasper $1,579$30.37
- Greenville $1,507$28.98
- Pickens $1,507$28.98
- Horry $1,504$28.92
- Sumter $1,338$25.73
- Aiken $1,329$25.56
- Edgefield $1,329$25.56
- Richland $1,226$23.58
- Lexington $1,226$23.58
- Calhoun $1,226$23.58
- Fairfield $1,226$23.58
- Saluda $1,226$23.58
- Spartanburg $1,196$23.00
- Georgetown $1,158$22.27
- Florence $1,121$21.56
- Laurens $1,119$21.52
- Chester $1,103$21.21
- Anderson $1,102$21.19
- Darlington $1,093$21.02
- Lancaster $1,069$20.56
- Union $1,003$19.29
- Kershaw $954$18.35
- Newberry $933$17.94
- Colleton $913$17.56
- Orangeburg $906$17.42
- Oconee $894$17.19
- Barnwell $892$17.15
- Bamberg $889$17.10
- Greenwood $885$17.02
- Cherokee $885$17.02
- Hampton $885$17.02
- Lee $885$17.02
- Abbeville $885$17.02
- Williamsburg $885$17.02
- Clarendon $885$17.02
- Chesterfield $885$17.02
- McCormick $885$17.02
- Marlboro $885$17.02
- Dillon $885$17.02
- Marion $885$17.02
- Allendale $885$17.02
Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site) Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (external site)
Your rights as a tenant in South Carolina
What South Carolina law says about deposits, notices and eviction, with the citation for each rule.
See your rights, rule by ruleA summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.
- When must they return my deposit?
- 30 days
- S.C. Code §27-40-410(a)
- If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?
- 5 days
- S.C. Code §27-40-710(B)
- How much notice ends a month-to-month rental?
- 30 days
- S.C. Code §27-40-770(b)
- Only a court order can remove youS.C. Code §27-40-660
- Protection from retaliationS.C. Code §27-40-910(a)
Help
Where to ask for help with rent in South Carolina
Free or official help. Demand usually exceeds funding, so waiting lists are common: ask at the agency for your county.
-
13 counseling agencies
HUD-approved; 4 serve in Spanish. They counsel renters for free.
See the agencies
Tool
How much rent can you afford?
Enter your income and compare with the fair market rent in your county.
Frequently asked questions
Which county in South Carolina is the most expensive to rent in?
By 2-bedroom fair market rent (Fiscal year 2027), the most expensive is Beaufort County ($2,010, about $38.65 an hour) and the cheapest Greenwood County ($885, about $17.02 an hour).
How many households in South Carolina spend too much on rent?
52% of renter households in South Carolina spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 26% spend half or more (Average 2020–2024, Census). Nationwide, 51%.
What is fair market rent?
A figure HUD publishes every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they pay. It is not a market price or a cap on landlords. In South Carolina, for 2 bedrooms in Fiscal year 2027, it runs from $885 to $2,010 depending on the county.
Where do I ask for help paying rent in South Carolina?
42 public housing agencies run Section 8 vouchers and public housing in South Carolina; demand usually exceeds funding and waiting lists are common. HUD-approved counseling agencies counsel for free. Your county page shows the nearest ones.