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City · 43,053 residents · Sumter County, South Carolina

Sumter , South Carolina

In Sumter, a typical home is worth $199,100 and typical rent is $1,076 a month. Compared with all of Sumter County, the typical home value is 20% higher and the share of households that own their home is 11 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $199,100

    20% above the county

    23% below South Carolina

    • Sumter
    • County
    • South Carolina

  • Typical rent

    $1,076a month

    About the same as the county

    9% below South Carolina

    • Sumter
    • County
    • South Carolina

  • Typical household income

    $55,592a year

    About the same as the county

    20% below South Carolina

    • Sumter
    • County
    • South Carolina

  • Households that own their home

    57%

    11 points below the county

    15 points below South Carolina

    • Sumter
    • County
    • South Carolina

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$205,992
1.8% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,469 a month
5.2% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Sumter is in Sumter County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Sumter County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Sumter apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Woodfield, the typical home value is $150,800: 24% less than in Sumter ($199,100).

  2. The typical home in Sumter is worth $199,100, 20% more than in Sumter County as a whole ($165,300).

  3. 57% of households in Sumter own their home, against 68% in Sumter County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Sumter

What homes there are in Sumter, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Sumter, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses, about the same as in Sumter County.

Year built

By age, homes in Sumter look like those in Sumter County: the typical year built is 1986.

There are fewer big homes in Sumter than in Sumter County: 65% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 76%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA loan limit for Sumter County is $541,287, and about 97% of owner-occupied homes in Sumter are worth less than that.

Monthly rent with utilities

About 69% of rented homes in Sumter cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Sumter County ($1,338).

With a mortgage

$1,423 a month

Sumter County: $1,293 a month

Without a mortgage

$452 a month

Sumter County: $393 a month

Owners with a mortgage

56%

Sumter County: 51%

In Sumter, 56% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,423 a month, against $1,293 in Sumter County. Without one it drops to $452.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Sumter rose 43% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Sumter County (43%).

Much as in Sumter County, the typical rent in Sumter rose 29% since 2015–2019.

While home values in Sumter changed +43% and rent +29%, the typical household income rose 37%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureSumterSumter CountySouth CarolinaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.1%8.3%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room 2.4%1.6%2.0%3.4%
People per household 2.562.482.442.53
Drive alone 82%85%76%69%
Carpool 9%8%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike 2%1%2%3%
Work from home 6%5%12%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

More than one person per room: that is how 2.4% of households in Sumter live, near the figure in Sumter County (1.6%).

By size, households in Sumter look like those in Sumter County: 2.56 people on average.

In Sumter, 82% of workers drive alone to work; in Sumter County, 85%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Sumter?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Sumter, worth $199,100, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 34% of the typical household income in Sumter, which is $55,592 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $68,069 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Sumter County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Sumter. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $6,969 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,588

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$195,493
Total interest
$281,269
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,362 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,297 a month

  • Tight

    $1,297 to $1,668 a month

    Your payment · 34%

  • Hard

    more than $1,668 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Sumter ($55,592 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,588
Principal & interest$1,324
Property tax$93
Home insurance$83
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$88

You need at least $6,969 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Sumter and Sumter County

Sumter is in Sumter County, South Carolina. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Sumter's own numbers

Typical home value
$199,100
Typical monthly rent
$1,076
Typical yearly household income
$55,592
Households that own their home
57%
Effective property tax rate
0.56%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Sumter County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,338
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+52%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.3%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Sumter County.

Everything about Sumter County

Buying

Buying a home in Sumter

A typical home in Sumter is worth $199,100: 20% above the county and 23% below South Carolina. With the typical household income in Sumter ($55,592 a year), a typical home costs 3.6 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Sumter 3.6 years
  • County 2.9 years
  • South Carolina 3.7 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Sumter County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Sumter County rose 77% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Sumter County.

Period County South Carolina U.S.
Last year (2025) +4.5% +3.6% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +52% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +77% +104% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Sumter next to Sumter County, South Carolina and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Sumter $199,100
  • County $165,300
  • South Carolina $259,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Sumter $1,076
  • County $1,057
  • South Carolina $1,180
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Sumter $55,592
  • County $56,693
  • South Carolina $69,324
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Sumter next to Sumter County and South Carolina
Measure Sumter Sumter County South Carolina U.S.
Typical home value $199,100 $165,300 $259,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,076 $1,057 $1,180 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $55,592 $56,693 $69,324 $80,734
Households that own their home 57% 68% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,123 $881 $1,251 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.56% 0.53% 0.48% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 56% 52% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Sumter County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Sumter

For a typical $199,100 home in Sumter, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Sumter's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,588a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $6,969
    Cash to close
    $12,942
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $88

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,552a month

    Down payment
    $9,955
    Cash to close
    $15,928
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $95

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,255a month

    Down payment
    $39,820
    Cash to close
    $45,793
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,439a month

    Down payment
    $29,865
    Cash to close
    $35,838
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Sumter and for Sumter County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Sumter

0.56%of the home’s value each year

$1,123 a year for the typical owner in Sumter.

  • Sumter 0.56%
  • County 0.53%
  • South Carolina 0.48%

What South Carolina publishes Special 4% assessment ratio for your legal residence (South Carolina General Assembly (South Carolina Code of Laws))

Exemptions and deadlines in South Carolina

Flood risk in Sumter County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Sumter County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.3%
1,190
Of those, with NFIP insurance
20%
County South Carolina U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.3% 4% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 20% 85% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Sumter

Typical rent in Sumter is $1,076 a month: about the same as the county. In Sumter, 56% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Sumter County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,338 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $25.73 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Sumter County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $932 $17.92 $37,280
1 bedroom $1,023 $19.67 $40,920
2 bedrooms $1,338 $25.73 $53,520
3 bedrooms $1,594 $30.65 $63,760
4 bedrooms $2,060 $39.62 $82,400

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Sumter

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Sumter has 3 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,310 in 29150 to $1,720 in 29152.

2 of the 3 are above the fair market rent for Sumter County ($1,338).

  • 29150 $1,310$1,560
  • 29152 $1,720$2,050
  • 29154 $1,440$1,720

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Sumter when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Sumter

HUD lists 33 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Sumter. These are the largest.

  • Harmony/Friendship 525 E Calhoun St, Sumter 29150 164 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of Sumter · Average payment: $344 a month · Average wait: 12 months · Homes at several sites (803) 775-4357
  • Hampton/Rast/S. Sumter/Pinewood 26 Rast St, Sumter 29150 163 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of Sumter · Average payment: $373 a month · Average wait: 13 months · Homes at several sites (803) 775-4357
  • Palmetto Towers 1150 S Pike W, Sumter 29150 96 homes, 95 low-income · For older adults (803) 469-3480
  • Oakland Plantation 5501 Edgehill Rd, Sumter 29154 72 low-income homes · 1 bd: 8 · 2 bd: 56 · 3 bd: 8 · In service since 2017 · For families
  • Shiloh Randolph Manor 125 W Bartlette St, Sumter 29150 72 homes, 71 low-income · For older adults (803) 775-0575

See all 34 buildings in Sumter County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Sumter

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Sumter County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A young man and a young woman look something up together on a laptop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Sumter

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Sumter or Sumter County. The ones below are statewide in South Carolina: they work in Sumter the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in South Carolina

  • Palmetto Home Advantage

    Statewide in South Carolina

    South Carolina state agency program with forgivable down payment assistance of 0%, 3% or 4% of the loan, with no monthly payments, for any buyer in all 46 counties. Offered by SC Housing (South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • SC Housing Homebuyer Program

    Statewide in South Carolina

    South Carolina state agency fixed-rate mortgage with forgivable help for the down payment, closing costs or prepaid expenses: a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payments, forgiven if you live in the home 15 years. Offered by SC Housing (South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Sumter

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Sumter, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • City of Florence

    324 W Evans St, Florence · 40 miles away

    • Fair housing pre-purchase workshops
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 2 more
    (843) 665-3175

  • NSC (naca Counseling Subsidiary) - Columbia, SC

    810 Dutch Square Blvd Suite 220, Columbia · 41 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (803) 255-0223

  • Southeastern Housing & Community Development Fka Southeastern Housing Foundation

    986 Doyle St, Orangeburg · 41 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Fair housing pre-purchase workshops
    • and 3 more
    (803) 534-9950

All counseling agencies in South Carolina

Help in Spanish near Sumter

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Sumter

HUD’s record names them for Sumter or Sumter County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of Sumter Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (803) 775-4357

All housing agencies in South Carolina Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Sumter, with the typical home value.

Everything about Sumter County Housing in South Carolina

Neighboring counties

If Sumter County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Sumter.

All guides
A mother holding her baby watches her daughter blow bubbles outdoors.

Questions

Housing questions about Sumter

Short answers with the numbers for Sumter and all of Sumter County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Sumter?

The typical home value in Sumter is $199,100, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Sumter County it is $165,300.

How much does it cost to rent in Sumter?

Typical rent in Sumter is $1,076 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Sumter County is $1,338.

What is the FHA loan limit in Sumter?

Sumter uses the FHA limit for all of Sumter County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Sumter?

The typical homeowner in Sumter pays $1,123 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.56% of the home’s value; in Sumter County, the rate is 0.53%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Sumter?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Sumter County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).