Most affordable counties to rent in South Carolina
Ranked by how much of the typical renter household's income the typical rent takes. Newberry County is the most affordable at 26.7%; Williamsburg County the least affordable at 47.3%.
| County | Rent-to-income | Median gross rent | Median renter income | Renters paying 30%+ | 2 BR FMR FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Newberry County | 26.7% | $872 | $39,195 | 44% | $933 |
| 2. Laurens County | 27.3% | $880 | $38,667 | 47% | $1,119 |
| 3. Chester County | 28.1% | $853 | $36,447 | 45% | $1,103 |
| 4. Dillon County | 28.7% | $679 | $28,404 | 46% | $885 |
| 5. Lexington County | 29.0% | $1,178 | $48,753 | 48% | $1,226 |
| 6. Greenwood County | 29.2% | $898 | $36,847 | 50% | $885 |
| 7. Lancaster County | 29.3% | $959 | $39,332 | 57% | $1,069 |
| 8. Sumter County | 30.2% | $1,057 | $42,069 | 52% | $1,338 |
| 9. Anderson County | 30.4% | $989 | $39,007 | 48% | $1,102 |
| 10. Aiken County | 30.6% | $1,062 | $41,698 | 45% | $1,329 |
| 11. York County | 30.6% | $1,387 | $54,433 | 51% | $1,785 |
| 12. Spartanburg County | 30.7% | $1,084 | $42,425 | 50% | $1,196 |
| 13. Oconee County | 31.0% | $881 | $34,146 | 48% | $894 |
| 14. Greenville County | 31.0% | $1,262 | $48,822 | 51% | $1,507 |
| 15. Cherokee County | 31.2% | $869 | $33,473 | 46% | $885 |
| 16. Horry County | 31.4% | $1,255 | $47,911 | 52% | $1,504 |
| 17. Saluda County | 31.4% | $851 | $32,478 | 47% | $1,226 |
| 18. Georgetown County | 31.5% | $1,204 | $45,840 | 59% | $1,158 |
| 19. Berkeley County | 32.3% | $1,654 | $61,423 | 51% | $1,884 |
| 20. Dorchester County | 32.9% | $1,463 | $53,395 | 56% | $1,884 |
| 21. Chesterfield County | 33.1% | $762 | $27,594 | 52% | $885 |
| 22. Jasper County | 33.2% | $1,328 | $47,976 | 48% | $1,579 |
| 23. Pickens County | 33.6% | $972 | $34,759 | 56% | $1,507 |
| 24. Florence County | 33.9% | $954 | $33,775 | 51% | $1,121 |
| 25. Marion County | 34.0% | $669 | $23,590 | 49% | $885 |
| 26. Colleton County | 34.5% | $949 | $33,014 | 55% | $913 |
| 27. Charleston County | 34.6% | $1,620 | $56,259 | 53% | $1,884 |
| 28. Fairfield County | 34.6% | $938 | $32,518 | 62% | $1,226 |
| 29. Beaufort County | 35.1% | $1,653 | $56,462 | 53% | $2,010 |
| 30. Clarendon County | 35.1% | $763 | $26,049 | 54% | $885 |
| 31. Union County | 35.7% | $804 | $27,025 | 53% | $1,003 |
| 32. Lee County | 36.7% | $823 | $26,934 | 53% | $885 |
| 33. Richland County | 36.8% | $1,228 | $40,012 | 59% | $1,226 |
| 34. Orangeburg County | 37.0% | $841 | $27,307 | 54% | $906 |
| 35. Marlboro County | 37.4% | $689 | $22,096 | 52% | $885 |
| 36. Darlington County | 37.8% | $896 | $28,417 | 56% | $1,093 |
| 37. Williamsburg County | 47.3% | $765 | $19,396 | 55% | $885 |
Rent-to-income = median gross rent × 12 ÷ median household income of renters. Both are medians of different households, so this is an area comparison, not the burden of any one household. 9 of 46 counties are left out because they have fewer than 500 renter households, a Census margin of error is too large (coefficient of variation above 15%) or a figure is not published.
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. FMR: HUD FY2027.
How much rent can you afford? Use the rent-to-income calculator →