County FMR · HUD FY2026

Horry County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Horry County, SC - 28% above the US average.

Compiled by PlainRent Editorial, Fair Market Rent Editorial Team · May 15, 2026

$1,229
1-bedroom FMR: $1,465
2-bedroom FMR: +2.5%
YoY change: +28%
vs US avg

The verdict

Horry is the 7th most expensive of 46 counties in South Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR.

#7
most expensive of 46 in South Carolina (2BR): +25%
vs the state average: $49,160
income to afford it (30% rule): +2.5%
YoY, FY2025→2026

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.6%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (60.2%); 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 Horry County, SC. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Horry County, South Carolina is $1,229 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,465/mo and a studio is $1,145/mo. This is 28% higher than the national average of $959 and 25% above the South Carolina average of $982.

Rent increased2.5% from FY 2025 ($1,199), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $49,160/year based on the 30% affordability rule.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in South Carolina. Population: 356,578. Population grew 15.0% 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 Horry County

The Horry County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and South Carolina's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.

Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 28% above the US average of $959 and 25% higher than the South Carolina state average of $982. Year-over-year, the 1-bedroom FMR moved from$1,199 in FY 2025 to $1,229 in FY 2026 - a change of +2.5%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.

At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,229, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $49,160 per year (about $4,097/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,465 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 356,578 and a county median household income of $64,623, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio

State avg: $928 · US avg: $893

$1,145/mo

↑ 1.1% YoY +23% vs state +28% vs US

1 Bedroom

State avg: $982 · US avg: $959

$1,229/mo

↑ 2.5% YoY +25% vs state +28% vs US

2 Bedroom

State avg: $1,155 · US avg: $1,175

$1,465/mo

↑ 4.2% YoY +27% vs state +25% vs US

3 Bedroom

State avg: $1,450 · US avg: $1,525

$1,805/mo

↑ 1.9% YoY +24% vs state +18% vs US

4 Bedroom

State avg: $1,699 · US avg: $1,756

$2,111/mo

↑ 2.2% YoY +24% vs state +20% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms	FY 2025	FY 2026	Change	vs State	vs US
Studio	$1,133	$1,145	+$12 (+1.1%)	+23%	+28%
1 Bedroom	$1,199	$1,229	+$30 (+2.5%)	+25%	+28%
2 Bedroom	$1,406	$1,465	+$59 (+4.2%)	+27%	+25%
3 Bedroom	$1,771	$1,805	+$34 (+1.9%)	+24%	+18%
4 Bedroom	$2,065	$2,111	+$46 (+2.2%)	+24%	+20%

Affordability Snapshot

Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:

Required annual income for 1 BR

$49,160

$4,097/month gross

Required annual income for 2 BR

$58,600

$4,883/month gross

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Horry County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio

21.3%

Affordable

Need $45,800/yr for 30% rule

1 Bedroom

22.8%

Affordable

Need $49,160/yr for 30% rule

2 Bedroom

27.2%

Affordable

Need $58,600/yr for 30% rule

3 Bedroom

33.5%

Burdened

Need $72,200/yr for 30% rule

4 Bedroom

39.2%

Burdened

Need $84,440/yr for 30% rule

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.

Horry County 2-bedroom rent burden

County median income: $64,623 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View South Carolina rent burden →

Where Horry sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,465 Top 16% higher than 84% 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

Charleston

$1,630
York

$1,538
Horry

$1,229
Greenville

$1,221
Richland

$1,164
Lexington

$1,164
Spartanburg

$1,083

What this shows Horry is highlighted. Nearby South Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Charleston County ($1,630), York County ($1,538), Horry County (this 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?

How a 1-bedroom at $1,229/mo compares to South Carolina salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation	SC Salary	Rent Burden	Verdict
Software Developers	$108,690	13.6%	Affordable
General & Operations Managers	$99,340	14.8%	Affordable
Registered Nurses	$79,900	18.5%	Affordable
Accountants & Auditors	$73,180	20.2%	Affordable
Elementary School Teachers	$59,370	24.8%	Affordable
Electricians	$58,260	25.3%	Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers	$58,020	25.4%	Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$51,810	28.5%	Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants	$48,640	30.3%	Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians	$38,960	37.9%	Stretched
Customer Service Representatives	$37,940	38.9%	Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners	$29,560	49.9%	Stretched
Retail Salespersons	$29,450	50.1%	Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers	$26,830	55%	Unaffordable
Teaching Assistants	$24,510	60.2%	Unaffordable

Salaries: BLS OES (South Carolina) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Horry County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Horry (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 45.1% overall, from $847 to $1,229. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 20.2% (FY 2022), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

Horry County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026

Year	Studio	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
FY 2026 ↑2.5%	$1,145	$1,229	$1,465	$1,805	$2,111
FY 2025 ↑1.0%	$1,133	$1,199	$1,406	$1,771	$2,065
FY 2024 ↑19.8%	$1,121	$1,187	$1,361	$1,724	$2,005
FY 2023 ↑8.1%	$966	$991	$1,141	$1,455	$1,642
FY 2022 ↑20.2%	$885	$917	$1,062	$1,349	$1,526
FY 2021 ↓9.9%	$732	$763	$898	$1,160	$1,314
FY 2020	$812	$847	$997	$1,288	$1,460

Total change (6yr): +45.1%

Annualized: +6.4%/yr

1 BR: $847 → $1,229

Part of the Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC Metro Area

Horry County is a central county of the Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC metropolitan statistical area.

Nearby Counties in South Carolina

Largest counties by population in South Carolina

Greenville County

1 BR: $1,221/mo Pop: 528,251

Richland County

1 BR: $1,164/mo Pop: 416,161

Charleston County

1 BR: $1,630/mo Pop: 409,840

Spartanburg County

1 BR: $1,083/mo Pop: 330,119

Lexington County

1 BR: $1,164/mo Pop: 295,934

York County

1 BR: $1,538/mo Pop: 282,987

Berkeley County

1 BR: $1,630/mo Pop: 231,419

Anderson County

1 BR: $1,035/mo Pop: 204,592

View all counties in South Carolina →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Horry County? ▼

The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Horry County is $1,229 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,465 and a studio is $1,145.

How does Horry County rent compare to the national average? ▼

Rent in Horry County is 28% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,229 compared to $959 nationally.

What income do I need to afford rent in Horry County? ▼

Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $49,160 ($4,097/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Horry County.

Is rent going up or down in Horry County? ▼

The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Horry County increased by 2.5% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,199 to $1,229.

Which jobs can afford rent in Horry 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 $1,229/mo. 8 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.

How much has rent changed in Horry County over time? ▼

The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Horry County went from $847 in FY 2020 to $1,229 in FY 2026, a total change of +45.1% over 6 years.

How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Horry County? ▼

In Horry County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,229/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 Horry County? ▼

For Horry County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,229/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

What this means for renters

Treat Horry'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 $1,229 implies about $49,160/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 Horry 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.

All federal data sources used on this page

HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.