County FMR · HUD FY2026
Cherokee County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Cherokee County, SC - 17% below the US average.
- $795
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $902
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +10.7%
- YoY change
- -17%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Cherokee is the 4th cheapest of 46 counties in South Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #410 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 10.7% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #410
- most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #4
- cheapest of 46 in South Carolina (2BR)
- -19%
- vs the state average
- $31,800
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.8%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (38.9%); nearby South Carolina counties range as much as 51% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Cherokee County, SC. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Cherokee County, South Carolina is $795 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $902/mo and a studio is $755/mo. This is 17% lower than the national average of $959 and 19% below the South Carolina average of $982.
Rent increased10.7% from FY 2025 ($718), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $31,800/year.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in South Carolina. Population: 56,200. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-0.7%, Census ACS). That's slower than South Carolina's statewide growth of +5.2% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Cherokee County
HUD publishes one FMR schedule per FMR area (often the county). Local housing authorities use it as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment-standard baseline. See how FMR is calculated.
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Cherokee County's 2-bedroom of $902 ranks #410 most affordable of 3,145 US counties, in the lower-rent quarter of HUD counties.
This is a below-average rent market: 1-bedroom FMR is 17% under the US average of $959 and 19% below South Carolina's $982. HUD's 1-bedroom figure shifted from $718 (FY 2025) to $795 (FY 2026), a +10.7% move that still leaves this county below the US mid-point.
A 1-bedroom at $795 needs $31,800/year under the 30% rule against a county median of $49,047, and the median household clears that line with room to spare. A 2-bedroom at $902 is the next step up.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $713 | $755 | +$42 (+5.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $718 | $795 | +$77 (+10.7%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $942 | $902 | $-40 (-4.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,172 | $1,135 | $-37 (-3.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,354 | $1,349 | $-5 (-0.4%) |
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Cherokee 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 Cherokee sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$902 higher than 13% 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 Cherokee compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other South Carolina counties
- Charleston
Charleston County
$1,630 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
- Cherokee
Cherokee County
$795 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Cherokee is highlighted. Nearby South Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Charleston County ($1,630), Horry County ($1,229), Greenville County ($1,221), Richland County ($1,164), Lexington County ($1,164), Spartanburg County ($1,083), Cherokee County (this county) ($795).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
With a below-average 1-bedroom at $795/mo, most of these South Carolina occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.
| Occupation | SC Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $108,690 | 8.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,340 | 9.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,900 | 11.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $73,180 | 13% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $59,370 | 16.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $58,020 | 16.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $58,260 | 16.4% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $51,810 | 18.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $48,640 | 19.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,960 | 24.5% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,940 | 25.1% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $29,560 | 32.3% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,450 | 32.4% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,830 | 35.6% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $24,510 | 38.9% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Cherokee County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Cherokee (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 59.0% overall, from $500 to $795. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +16.2% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑10.7% | $755 | $795 | $902 |
| FY 2025 ↑1.0% | $713 | $718 | $942 |
| FY 2024 ↑16.2% | $706 | $711 | $934 |
| FY 2023 ↑8.9% | $605 | $612 | $806 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.7% | $523 | $562 | $739 |
| FY 2021 ↑9.4% | $476 | $547 | $721 |
| FY 2020 | $429 | $500 | $659 |
Part of the Gaffney, SC Micro Area
Cherokee County is a central county of the Gaffney, SC micropolitan statistical area.
Nearby Counties in South Carolina
Largest counties by population in South Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Cherokee County? ▼
How does Cherokee County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Cherokee County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Cherokee County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Cherokee County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Cherokee County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Cherokee County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Cherokee County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Cherokee County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Cherokee's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $795 implies about $31,800/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Compare this county against nearby metros and states before signing a lease. Compare areas
- See where it sits on the national rent map. View rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents in Cherokee can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This page is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
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.