County FMR · HUD FY2026
Charleston County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Charleston County, SC - 70% above the US average.
- $1,630
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,787
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -0.9%
- YoY change
- +70%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Charleston is the 3rd most expensive of 46 counties in South Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #220 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #220
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #3
- most expensive of 46 in South Carolina (2BR)
- +66%
- vs the state average
- $65,200
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (18%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (79.8%); only 4 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Charleston County, SC. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Charleston County, South Carolina at $1,630 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,787/mo and a studio is $1,557/mo. This is 70% higher than the national average of $959 and 66% above the South Carolina average of $982.
Rent decreased0.9% from FY 2025 ($1,644), roughly tracking inflation. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $65,200/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.
Observed renter burden: 48.8% of the 64,074 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 11.6%, a loose rental market that typically gives renters more negotiating leverage than the FMR schedule alone implies.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.7% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in South Carolina. Population: 409,840. Population grew 5.1% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's in line with South Carolina's statewide growth of +5.2% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area CHARLESTON·COUNTY·SC·SC
Charleston County, SC: $1,630/mo 1BR · #220 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA SC
- 1BR-FMR $1,630
- 2BR-FMR $1,787
- RANK-UPPER #220
- YOY-FLAT -0.9%
- VSUS-HIGH +70%
- VS-ST-HIGH +66% SC
- INC-MID 23%
- POP-MAJOR 410K
- PHOTO-NEAR Greenville County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,467–$1,793
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Greenville ($409 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,583 | $1,557 | $-26 (-1.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,644 | $1,630 | $-14 (-0.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,820 | $1,787 | $-33 (-1.8%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,255 | $2,222 | $-33 (-1.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,653 | $2,562 | $-91 (-3.4%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Charleston County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
Where Charleston sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,787 Top 7% higher than 93% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
How Charleston compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other South Carolina counties
- Charleston
Charleston County
$1,630 1BR FMR / mo
- York
York County
$1,538 1BR FMR / mo
- Horry
Horry County
$1,229 1BR FMR / mo
- Greenville
Greenville County
$1,221 1BR FMR / mo
- Richland
Richland County
$1,164 1BR FMR / mo
- Lexington
Lexington County
$1,164 1BR FMR / mo
- Spartanburg
Spartanburg County
$1,083 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Charleston is highlighted. Nearby South Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Charleston County (this county) ($1,630), York County ($1,538), Horry County ($1,229), Greenville County ($1,221), Richland County ($1,164), Lexington County ($1,164), Spartanburg County ($1,083).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,630/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using South Carolina BLS wages?
| Occupation | SC Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $108,690 | 18% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,340 | 19.7% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,900 | 24.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $73,180 | 26.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $59,370 | 32.9% | Stretched |
| Electricians | $58,260 | 33.6% | Stretched |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $58,020 | 33.7% | Stretched |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $51,810 | 37.8% | Stretched |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $48,640 | 40.2% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,960 | 50.2% | Unaffordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,940 | 51.6% | Unaffordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $29,560 | 66.2% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,450 | 66.4% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,830 | 72.9% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $24,510 | 79.8% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Charleston County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Charleston (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 57.5% overall, from $1,035 to $1,630. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.4% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓0.9% | $1,557 | $1,630 | $1,787 |
| FY 2025 ↑15.4% | $1,583 | $1,644 | $1,820 |
| FY 2024 ↑4.9% | $1,386 | $1,424 | $1,599 |
| FY 2023 ↑12.7% | $1,328 | $1,357 | $1,533 |
| FY 2022 ↑13.7% | $1,183 | $1,204 | $1,372 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.3% | $1,000 | $1,059 | $1,207 |
| FY 2020 | $907 | $1,035 | $1,179 |
Part of the Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metro Area
Charleston County is a central county of the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Charleston County ranks #3 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Berkeley County ($1,630), Dorchester County ($1,630), Charleston County (this county) ($1,630).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Charleston County, both outside South Carolina so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.
Similar 2-bedroom FMR
Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside SC (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside SC).
Nearby Counties in South Carolina
Largest counties by population in South Carolina
Showing the 8 largest of 45 other counties in South Carolina.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Charleston County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Charleston County is $1,630 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,787 and a studio is $1,557.
How does Charleston County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Charleston County is 70% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,630 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Charleston County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Charleston County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,787 ranks #220 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Charleston County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $65,200 ($5,433/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Charleston County.
Is rent going up or down in Charleston County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Charleston County decreased by 0.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,644 to $1,630.
Which jobs can afford rent in Charleston County?
Based on South Carolina BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,630/mo. 4 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Charleston County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Charleston County went from $1,035 in FY 2020 to $1,630 in FY 2026, a total change of +57.5% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Charleston County?
In Charleston County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,630/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Charleston County?
For Charleston County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,630/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Charleston County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 11.6%, a loose rental market that typically gives renters more negotiating leverage than the FMR schedule alone implies.
What is the unemployment rate in Charleston County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.7% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Charleston's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,630 implies about $65,200/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- South Carolina counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Greenville
- See where Charleston ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.