Berkeley County, SC: Fair Market Rent 2027 and Income Limits

Official HUD figures for landlords and renters, effective October 1, 2026 (rents) and May 1, 2026 (income limits).

$1,8842-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$1,7311-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$94,00080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$117,500Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Berkeley County is $1,884 a month, up 5.4% from $1,787 in FY2026. Berkeley County belongs to the Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA FMR area, so the same figures apply across that area. FMRs are gross rents: rent plus all tenant-paid utilities except phone, cable and internet.

Fair market rent in Berkeley County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$1,661	$1,557	+6.7%	$1,495 – $1,827
1 bedroom	$1,731	$1,630	+6.2%	$1,558 – $1,904
2 bedrooms	$1,884	$1,787	+5.4%	$1,696 – $2,072
3 bedrooms	$2,336	$2,222	+5.1%	$2,103 – $2,569
4 bedrooms	$2,687	$2,562	+4.9%	$2,419 – $2,955

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026) and FY2026 (revised file), details.

What can a landlord charge a Section 8 tenant here?

The FMR is not a cap on what you can ask on the open market. For a Housing Choice Voucher tenant, the local housing authority sets a payment standard, normally between 90% and 110% of the FMR (or of the ZIP-level Small Area FMR where those apply). For a two-bedroom unit in Berkeley County that is typically $1,696 to $2,072 including utilities. You can charge more than the payment standard if the rent passes the housing authority's rent-reasonableness test and, at move-in, the tenant's share stays within 40% of their adjusted monthly income. Ask the housing authority for its current payment standard schedule.

Can local renters afford the fair market rent?

$61,423median income of renter households

$1,654Median gross rent, all units

32%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

51%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $61,423 can afford about $1,536 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,884 is $348 (22.7%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $75,360 a year under the 30% rule, or $67,824 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Berkeley County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$1,654 ±$39
Median income of renter households	$61,423 ±$2,795
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	51.3% ±3.9
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	26.7% ±3.2
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	21,152

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$1,109	$1,654	+49.1%
Median renter household income	$45,623	$61,423	+34.6%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	45.1%	51.3%	+6.2 pts

Rent-to-income calculator: does an applicant qualify? → · Most affordable counties to rent in this state →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation.

Small Area FMRs by ZIP code (FY2027)

In metro areas HUD also publishes ZIP-level Small Area Fair Market Rents. Housing authorities in designated areas must use them for voucher payment standards; others may opt in. Here the two-bedroom SAFMR ranges from $1,170 to $2,830 depending on the ZIP code.

All 62 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
29018	$1,020	$1,060	$1,170	$1,460	$1,770
29059	$1,020	$1,060	$1,170	$1,460	$1,770
29401	$2,120	$2,200	$2,400	$2,980	$3,420
29402	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,370	$2,720
29403	$1,930	$2,010	$2,190	$2,720	$3,120
29404	$1,990	$2,080	$2,260	$2,800	$3,220
29405	$1,390	$1,450	$1,580	$1,960	$2,250
29406	$1,540	$1,610	$1,750	$2,170	$2,500
29407	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,370	$2,720
29409	$1,930	$2,010	$2,190	$2,720	$3,120
29410	$1,500	$1,560	$1,700	$2,110	$2,420
29412	$1,930	$2,010	$2,190	$2,720	$3,120
29413	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,370	$2,720
29414	$1,900	$1,980	$2,150	$2,670	$3,070
29415	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,370	$2,720
29416	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,370	$2,720
29417	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,370	$2,720
29418	$1,430	$1,490	$1,620	$2,010	$2,310
29419	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,370	$2,720
29420	$1,630	$1,700	$1,850	$2,290	$2,640
29422	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,370	$2,720
29423	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,370	$2,720
29424	$2,050	$2,130	$2,320	$2,890	$3,310
29425	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,370	$2,720
29426	$1,480	$1,540	$1,680	$2,080	$2,400
29429	$2,500	$2,600	$2,830	$3,510	$4,040
29431	$1,190	$1,240	$1,350	$1,670	$1,930
29432	$1,020	$1,060	$1,170	$1,460	$1,770
29434	$1,310	$1,370	$1,490	$1,850	$2,130
29436	$1,020	$1,060	$1,170	$1,460	$1,770
29437	$1,020	$1,060	$1,170	$1,460	$1,770
29438	$1,030	$1,080	$1,240	$1,520	$1,900
29439	$2,200	$2,300	$2,500	$3,100	$3,570
29445	$1,600	$1,670	$1,820	$2,260	$2,600
29448	$1,020	$1,060	$1,170	$1,460	$1,770
29449	$1,340	$1,400	$1,520	$1,880	$2,170
29450	$1,890	$1,960	$2,140	$2,650	$3,050
29451	$2,500	$2,600	$2,830	$3,510	$4,040
29453	$1,380	$1,440	$1,570	$1,950	$2,240
29455	$1,640	$1,710	$1,860	$2,310	$2,650
29456	$1,670	$1,740	$1,890	$2,340	$2,700
29457	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,370	$2,720
29458	$1,670	$1,730	$1,920	$2,370	$2,790
29461	$1,380	$1,440	$1,570	$1,950	$2,240
29464	$2,140	$2,230	$2,430	$3,010	$3,470
29465	$1,680	$1,750	$1,910	$2,370	$2,720
29466	$2,440	$2,540	$2,770	$3,430	$3,950
29468	$1,020	$1,060	$1,170	$1,460	$1,770
29469	$1,280	$1,340	$1,450	$1,810	$2,070
29470	$1,080	$1,120	$1,220	$1,510	$1,770
29471	$1,020	$1,070	$1,170	$1,460	$1,770
29472	$1,250	$1,300	$1,430	$1,770	$2,040
29477	$1,050	$1,090	$1,190	$1,470	$1,770
29479	$1,020	$1,060	$1,170	$1,460	$1,770
29481	$1,020	$1,060	$1,170	$1,460	$1,770
29482	$2,160	$2,250	$2,460	$3,040	$3,510
29483	$1,390	$1,450	$1,580	$1,960	$2,250
29484	$1,530	$1,590	$1,730	$2,150	$2,470
29485	$1,640	$1,710	$1,860	$2,310	$2,650
29486	$1,760	$1,840	$2,000	$2,480	$2,850
29487	$1,460	$1,530	$1,670	$2,070	$2,380
29492	$2,120	$2,200	$2,400	$2,980	$3,420

Source: HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs (effective October 1, 2026).

HUD income limits for Berkeley County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $117,500 (FY2025: $110,900, +6.0%). Small figures under each limit show the change from FY2025.

Household size	1 person	2 people	3 people	4 people	5 people	6 people	7 people	8 people
Extremely low income (30%)	$24,700 +6.0%	$28,200 +6.0%	$31,750 +6.0%	$35,250 +6.0%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$41,150 +5.9%	$47,000 +5.9%	$52,900 +5.9%	$58,750 +6.0%	$63,450 +5.9%	$68,150 +5.9%	$72,850 +5.9%	$77,550 +5.9%
Low income (80%)	$65,800 +6.0%	$75,200 +5.9%	$84,600 +5.9%	$94,000 +6.0%	$101,550 +6.0%	$109,050 +6.0%	$116,600 +6.0%	$124,100 +6.0%

The 30% limit is HUD's “extremely low income” limit: the higher of 30% of median income or the federal poverty guideline, but never above the 50% limit. That is why it can rise faster than 30% of median for larger households. Tax-credit (LIHTC) properties use separate Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits.

Source: HUD Section 8 Income Limits FY2026 (effective May 1, 2026) and FY2025, details.