County FMR · HUD FY2026
Marion County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Marion County, SC - 14% below the US average.
- $823
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $902
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -2.4%
- YoY change
- -14%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Marion is the 11th cheapest of 46 counties in South Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #11
- cheapest of 46 in South Carolina (2BR)
- -16%
- vs the state average
- $32,920
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- -2.4%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.1%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (40.3%); 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 Marion County, SC. Verify with HUD →
Marion County, South Carolina carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $823 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $902/mo and a studio is $678/mo. That's 14% below the national benchmark of $959 and 16% below the South Carolina average of $982.
Rent decreased2.4% from FY 2025 ($843), declining against the trend. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $32,920/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in South Carolina. Population: 29,212. Population declined 8.4% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than South Carolina's statewide growth of +5.2% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Marion County
The Marion 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 14% below the US average of $959 and 16% lower than the South Carolina state average of $982. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$843 in FY 2025 to $823 in FY 2026 - a change of -2.4%, which is unusual and suggests softening demand or revised HUD sampling.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $823, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $32,920 per year (about $2,743/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $902 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 29,212 and a county median household income of $34,501, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $705 | $678 | $-27 (-3.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $843 | $823 | $-20 (-2.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $933 | $902 | $-31 (-3.3%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,247 | $1,197 | $-50 (-4.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,567 | $1,424 | $-143 (-9.1%) |
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 Marion 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.
Marion County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Marion 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 Marion 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
- Marion
Marion County
$823 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Marion 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), Marion County (this county) ($823).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $823/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 | 9.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $99,340 | 9.9% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $79,900 | 12.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $73,180 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $59,370 | 16.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $58,020 | 17% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $58,260 | 17% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $51,810 | 19.1% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $48,640 | 20.3% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,960 | 25.3% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,940 | 26% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $29,560 | 33.4% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,450 | 33.5% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,830 | 36.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $24,510 | 40.3% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Marion County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Marion (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 46.7% overall, from $561 to $823. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 20.2% (FY 2023), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓2.4% | $678 | $823 | $902 |
| FY 2025 ↑4.6% | $705 | $843 | $933 |
| FY 2024 ↑18.0% | $738 | $806 | $905 |
| FY 2023 ↑20.2% | $616 | $683 | $780 |
| FY 2022 ↑7.4% | $543 | $568 | $712 |
| FY 2021 ↓5.7% | $526 | $529 | $679 |
| FY 2020 | $556 | $561 | $651 |
Where Marion County Ranks in South Carolina
Marion County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #11 of 46 counties in South Carolina. Nearest by rank: Cherokee County ($902), Chesterfield County ($902), Clarendon County ($902), Colleton County ($902), Dillon County ($902), Hampton County ($902), Lee County ($902), Marion County (this county) ($902), Marlboro County ($902), Williamsburg County ($902), Orangeburg County ($910), Barnwell County ($930), Greenwood County ($934), Oconee County ($941), McCormick County ($956).
Nearby Counties in South Carolina
Largest counties by population in South Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Marion County? ▼
How does Marion County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Marion County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Marion County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Marion County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Marion County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Marion County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Marion County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Marion'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 $823 implies about $32,920/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 Marion 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.