County FMR · HUD FY2026

Richland County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Richland County, SC - 21% above the US average.

$1,164
1-bedroom FMR
$1,276
2-bedroom FMR
-0.7%
YoY change
+21%
vs US avg

The verdict

Richland is the 12th most expensive of 46 counties in South Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #786 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#786
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#12
most expensive of 46 in South Carolina (2BR)
+19%
vs the state average
$46,560
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.9%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (57%); 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 Richland County, SC. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Richland County, South Carolina is $1,164 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,276/mo and a studio is $1,032/mo. This is 21% higher than the national average of $959 and 19% above the South Carolina average of $982.

Rent decreased0.7% from FY 2025 ($1,172), roughly tracking inflation. A household needs about $46,560/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 53.1% of the 65,510 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.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in South Carolina. Population: 416,161. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.6%, Census ACS). That's slower than South Carolina's statewide growth of +5.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area RICHLAND·COUNTY·SC·SC

Richland County, SC: $1,164/mo 1BR · #786 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA SC
  • 1BR-FMR $1,164
  • 2BR-FMR $1,276
  • RANK-MID #786
  • YOY-FLAT -0.7%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +21%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +19% SC
  • INC-MID 23%
  • POP-MAJOR 416K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Greenville County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,048–$1,280
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Greenville ($57 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $928 · US avg: $893
$1,032/mo
↓ 2.9% YoY +11% vs state +16% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $982 · US avg: $959
$1,164/mo
↓ 0.7% YoY +19% vs state +21% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,155 · US avg: $1,175
$1,276/mo
↓ 1.7% YoY +10% vs state +9% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,450 · US avg: $1,525
$1,623/mo
↓ 2.0% YoY +12% vs state +6% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,699 · US avg: $1,756
$1,911/mo
↓ 4.0% YoY +12% vs state +9% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,063
$1,032
$-31 (-2.9%)
1 Bedroom $1,172
$1,164
$-8 (-0.7%)
2 Bedroom $1,298
$1,276
$-22 (-1.7%)
3 Bedroom $1,656
$1,623
$-33 (-2.0%)
4 Bedroom $1,991
$1,911
$-80 (-4.0%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
20.1%
Affordable
Need $41,280/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
22.6%
Affordable
Need $46,560/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
24.8%
Affordable
Need $51,040/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
31.6%
Burdened
Need $64,920/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
37.2%
Burdened
Need $76,440/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.

0%100%National avg22%24.8%
Richland County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $61,699 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View South Carolina rent burden →

Where Richland sits among every US county

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

$1,276 Top 25% higher than 75% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). This entry sits in this band. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Richland compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other South Carolina counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Richland 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 ($1,221), Richland County (this county) ($1,164), Lexington County ($1,164), Spartanburg County ($1,083).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,164/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 12.9% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $99,340 14.1% Affordable
Registered Nurses $79,900 17.5% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $73,180 19.1% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $59,370 23.5% Affordable
Electricians $58,260 24% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $58,020 24.1% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $51,810 27% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $48,640 28.7% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $38,960 35.9% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $37,940 36.8% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $29,560 47.3% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $29,450 47.4% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $26,830 52.1% Unaffordable
Teaching Assistants $24,510 57% 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 Richland County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Richland (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 42.3% overall, from $818 to $1,164. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.6% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,164
Richland County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓0.7% $1,032 $1,164 $1,276
FY 2025 ↑5.6% $1,063 $1,172 $1,298
FY 2024 ↑11.4% $1,036 $1,110 $1,246
FY 2023 ↑14.6% $944 $996 $1,125
FY 2022 ↑2.8% $834 $869 $990
FY 2021 ↑3.3% $782 $845 $963
FY 2020 $706 $818 $931
Total change (6yr): +42.3%
Annualized: +6.1%/yr
1 BR: $818 → $1,164

Part of the Columbia, SC Metro Area

Richland County is a central county of the Columbia, SC metropolitan statistical area, alongside 5 other metro-area counties.

Richland County ranks #5 of 6 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Lexington County ($1,164), Fairfield County ($1,164), Saluda County ($1,164), Calhoun County ($1,164), Richland County (this county) ($1,164), Kershaw County ($849).

Lexington County
1 BR: $1,164/mo
Fairfield County
1 BR: $1,164/mo
Saluda County
1 BR: $1,164/mo
Calhoun County
1 BR: $1,164/mo
Richland County (this county)
1 BR: $1,164/mo
Kershaw County
1 BR: $849/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Richland 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).

Taylor County
TX · 2 BR $1,276/mo
Jones County
TX · 2 BR $1,276/mo
Callahan County
TX · 2 BR $1,276/mo
Glacier County
MT · 2 BR $1,275/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside SC).

Chaffee County
CO · 24.8% of income · 2 BR $1,466/mo
Clay County
TN · 24.8% of income · 2 BR $925/mo
Nueces County
TX · 24.8% of income · 2 BR $1,366/mo
Boulder County
CO · 24.8% of income · 2 BR $2,124/mo

Nearby Counties in South Carolina

Largest counties by population in South Carolina

Showing the 8 largest of 45 other counties in South Carolina.

Greenville County
1 BR: $1,221/mo Pop: 528,251
Charleston County
1 BR: $1,630/mo Pop: 409,840
Horry County
1 BR: $1,229/mo Pop: 356,578
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 Richland County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Richland County is $1,164 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,276 and a studio is $1,032.
How does Richland County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Richland County is 21% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,164 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Richland County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Richland County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,276 ranks #786 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Richland County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $46,560 ($3,880/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Richland County.
Is rent going up or down in Richland County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Richland County decreased by 0.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,172 to $1,164.
Which jobs can afford rent in Richland 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 $1,164/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Richland County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Richland County went from $818 in FY 2020 to $1,164 in FY 2026, a total change of +42.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Richland County? ▼
In Richland County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,164/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 Richland County? ▼
For Richland County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,164/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.