County FMR · HUD FY2026
Greenville County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Greenville County, SC - 27% above the US average.
- $1,221
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,339
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +3.5%
- YoY change
- +27%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Greenville is the 9th most expensive of 46 counties in South Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #692 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #692
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #9
- most expensive of 46 in South Carolina (2BR)
- +24%
- vs the state average
- $48,840
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.5%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (59.8%); 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 Greenville County, SC. Verify with HUD →
Greenville County, South Carolina carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,221 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,339/mo and a studio is $1,166/mo. That's 27% above the national benchmark of $959 and 24% above the South Carolina average of $982.
Rent increased3.5% from FY 2025 ($1,180), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $48,840/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in South Carolina. Population: 528,251. Population grew 7.9% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than South Carolina's statewide growth of +5.2% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Greenville 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, Greenville County's 2-bedroom of $1,339 ranks #692 most expensive of 3,145 US counties, in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
Rents run meaningfully above the national benchmark: 1-bedroom FMR is 27% higher than the US average of $959 (24% above South Carolina's $982). From FY 2025 to FY 2026 the 1-bedroom schedule moved $1,180 → $1,221 (+3.5%), widening an already-expensive gap versus national norms.
At $1,221/mo for a 1-bedroom, the 30% rule wants $48,840/year: still within reach of the county median income of $74,624, though a 2-bedroom at $1,339 raises the bar.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,136 | $1,166 | +$30 (+2.6%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,180 | $1,221 | +$41 (+3.5%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,306 | $1,339 | +$33 (+2.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,599 | $1,612 | +$13 (+0.8%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,911 | $1,943 | +$32 (+1.7%) |
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 Greenville 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 Greenville sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,339 Top 22% higher than 78% 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 Greenville 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 Greenville is highlighted. Nearby South Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Charleston County ($1,630), York County ($1,538), Horry County ($1,229), Greenville County (this 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 $1,221/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 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,340 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,900 | 18.3% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $73,180 | 20% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $59,370 | 24.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $58,260 | 25.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $58,020 | 25.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $51,810 | 28.3% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $48,640 | 30.1% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,960 | 37.6% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,940 | 38.6% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $29,560 | 49.6% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,450 | 49.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,830 | 54.6% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $24,510 | 59.8% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Greenville County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Greenville (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 65.0% overall, from $740 to $1,221. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.4% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑3.5% | $1,166 | $1,221 | $1,339 |
| FY 2025 ↑9.9% | $1,136 | $1,180 | $1,306 |
| FY 2024 ↑15.4% | $1,032 | $1,074 | $1,206 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.9% | $865 | $931 | $1,051 |
| FY 2022 ↑5.4% | $783 | $871 | $992 |
| FY 2021 ↑11.6% | $731 | $826 | $942 |
| FY 2020 | $628 | $740 | $842 |
Part of the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC Metro Area
Greenville County is a central county of the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metropolitan statistical area, alongside 3 other metro-area counties.
Greenville County ranks #2 of 4 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Pickens County ($1,221), Greenville County (this county) ($1,221), Anderson County ($1,035), Laurens County ($869).
Nearby Counties in South Carolina
Largest counties by population in South Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Greenville County? ▼
How does Greenville County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Greenville County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Greenville County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Greenville County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Greenville County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Greenville County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Greenville County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Greenville County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Greenville'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 $1,221 implies about $48,840/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 Greenville 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.