South Carolina Cost of Living
Housing costs and affordability data for 46 counties.
Average Monthly Rent
$985/mo
Average Home Value
$199,733
Average Owner Cost
$791/mo
County cost atlas
South Carolina housing costs by county
Compare rent, entry-price context, owner costs, and cost score in one state view. Pin a county, switch layers, then open the full county profile when a place needs closer review.
Counties
46
Avg rent
$985/mo
Owner cost
$791/mo
Avg score
54.9
Higher means lower cost pressure
Atlas layers use U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. Rent, owner cost, and home value are county medians. Cost score rewards lower rent and lower owner costs, but affordability still depends on income, household size, commute, debt, and personal finances. Use this as decision context, not personalized financial advice.
State Cost Summary
Use these state averages as a starting point, then scan the atlas and rankings for the county-level spread behind them.
Housing Costs in South Carolina: An Overview
The unweighted mean of county median rents in South Carolina is $985 per month, which is 30% below the national ACS median of $1,413. This gives every county equal weight and is not an official statewide median.
Within South Carolina, housing costs vary significantly by county. Berkeley County has the highest median rent in this dataset at $1,654 per month and a median home value of $310,300. Allendale County has the lowest reported median rent at $662 per month and a median home value of $76,200.
The unweighted mean of county median home values in South Carolina is $199,733, 40% lower than the national ACS median of $332,700. The unweighted mean of county median household incomes is $59,005; neither figure is a household-weighted statewide estimate.
Before comparing places in South Carolina, start with the county-level pattern. Costs can swing dramatically between rural and urban counties. Use the atlas, rankings, and county links below to compare rent, home values, owner costs, and rent burden before opening a specific county profile.
Distribution
Rent Distribution in South Carolina
How median rents are spread across 46 counties
Highest Median Rent Counties
Lowest Median Rent Counties
All South Carolina Counties
Sorted by median rent, highest first. A higher cost score means lower rent and owner cost pressure within the national scoring model.
| County | Median Rent | Home Value | Owner Cost | Cost Score | Rent/Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley County | Over $1,500$1,654/mo | $310,300 | $1,276/mo | 10.9 | 30.8% |
| Beaufort County | Over $1,500$1,653/mo | $455,600 | $1,486/mo | 7.7 | 31.8% |
| Charleston County | Over $1,500$1,620/mo | $489,100 | $1,607/mo | 6.8 | 32.0% |
| Dorchester County | $1,000–$1,500$1,463/mo | $329,300 | $1,386/mo | 10.9 | 33.1% |
| York County | $1,000–$1,500$1,387/mo | $361,300 | $1,337/mo | 12.7 | 30.3% |
| Jasper County | $1,000–$1,500$1,328/mo | $325,500 | $947/mo | 25.6 | 28.3% |
| Greenville County | $1,000–$1,500$1,262/mo | $299,000 | $1,130/mo | 19.4 | 30.4% |
| Horry County | $1,000–$1,500$1,255/mo | $287,700 | $967/mo | 25.9 | 31.2% |
| Richland County | $1,000–$1,500$1,228/mo | $242,800 | $1,206/mo | 17.9 | 34.7% |
| Georgetown County | $1,000–$1,500$1,204/mo | $289,500 | $874/mo | 32.5 | 32.4% |
| Lexington County | $1,000–$1,500$1,178/mo | $234,500 | $1,032/mo | 24.7 | 29.3% |
| Spartanburg County | $1,000–$1,500$1,084/mo | $233,300 | $965/mo | 30.7 | 29.8% |
| Aiken County | $1,000–$1,500$1,062/mo | $218,000 | $835/mo | 39.5 | 27.7% |
| Sumter County | $1,000–$1,500$1,057/mo | $165,300 | $771/mo | 44.3 | 30.7% |
| Calhoun County | $1,000–$1,500$1,052/mo | $172,100 | $618/mo | 55.3 | 27.1% |
| Anderson County | Under $1,000$989/mo | $231,900 | $853/mo | 41.6 | 28.9% |
| Pickens County | Under $1,000$972/mo | $231,900 | $822/mo | 44.8 | 34.5% |
| Kershaw County | Under $1,000$971/mo | $217,100 | $945/mo | 37.1 | 32.6% |
| Lancaster County | Under $1,000$959/mo | $329,900 | $1,045/mo | 33.4 | 32.9% |
| Florence County | Under $1,000$954/mo | $177,900 | $832/mo | 45.2 | 30.8% |
| Colleton County | Under $1,000$949/mo | $162,500 | $748/mo | 51.7 | 32.4% |
| Fairfield County | Under $1,000$938/mo | $151,200 | $620/mo | 61.5 | 33.4% |
| Greenwood County | Under $1,000$898/mo | $180,500 | $706/mo | 59.1 | 30.0% |
| Darlington County | Under $1,000$896/mo | $158,200 | $628/mo | 64.8 | 34.4% |
| Oconee County | Under $1,000$881/mo | $237,100 | $772/mo | 55.5 | 29.5% |
| Laurens County | Under $1,000$880/mo | $170,600 | $678/mo | 62.6 | 27.8% |
| Newberry County | Under $1,000$872/mo | $173,300 | $661/mo | 64.7 | 27.2% |
| Cherokee County | Under $1,000$869/mo | $142,000 | $558/mo | 71.3 | 28.3% |
| Chester County | Under $1,000$853/mo | $158,300 | $613/mo | 69.7 | 27.8% |
| Saluda County | Under $1,000$851/mo | $146,500 | $558/mo | 73.3 | 28.2% |
| Hampton County | Under $1,000$843/mo | $112,000 | $572/mo | 73.5 | 32.6% |
| Orangeburg County | Under $1,000$841/mo | $115,800 | $581/mo | 73.2 | 33.0% |
| Lee County | Under $1,000$823/mo | $104,600 | $494/mo | 79.1 | 31.1% |
| Bamberg County | Under $1,000$815/mo | $97,800 | $553/mo | 77.8 | 31.7% |
| Union County | Under $1,000$804/mo | $103,600 | $495/mo | 81.1 | 31.5% |
| Abbeville County | Under $1,000$799/mo | $178,800 | $593/mo | 76.8 | 22.8% |
| Williamsburg County | Under $1,000$765/mo | $104,500 | $606/mo | 80.3 | 32.2% |
| Clarendon County | Under $1,000$763/mo | $158,000 | $577/mo | 82.6 | 31.6% |
| Chesterfield County | Under $1,000$762/mo | $116,200 | $558/mo | 83.8 | 31.4% |
| Barnwell County | Under $1,000$740/mo | $106,000 | $638/mo | 81.0 | 29.4% |
| Edgefield County | Under $1,000$720/mo | $202,700 | $731/mo | 76.2 | 30.3% |
| McCormick County | Under $1,000$696/mo | $168,700 | $631/mo | 85.0 | 31.8% |
| Marlboro County | Under $1,000$689/mo | $82,000 | $420/mo | 94.0 | 31.2% |
| Dillon County | Under $1,000$679/mo | $85,400 | $466/mo | 93.9 | 26.1% |
| Marion County | Under $1,000$669/mo | $93,200 | $469/mo | 94.4 | 29.0% |
| Allendale County | Under $1,000$662/mo | $76,200 | $535/mo | 92.7 | 28.2% |
Compare South Carolina to Other States
See how South Carolina counties stack up against counties in other states. Compare rent, home values, and affordability side by side.
Start a ComparisonFrequently Asked Questions About South Carolina Housing Costs
Which South Carolina county has the lowest median rent?
Which South Carolina county has the highest median rent?
How does South Carolina's cost of living compare to the national average?
What is the unweighted county-mean home value in South Carolina?
Planning a Move?
Researching the cost of living in South Carolina, South Carolina? Compare moving quotes from top providers and save on your relocation.
Compare Moving QuotesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.