County FMR · HUD FY2026

York County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for York County, SC - 60% above the US average.

$1,538
1-bedroom FMR
$1,686
2-bedroom FMR
-6.6%
YoY change
+60%
vs US avg

The verdict

York is the 5th most expensive of 46 counties in South Carolina by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #314 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 6.6% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#314
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#5
most expensive of 46 in South Carolina (2BR)
+57%
vs the state average
$61,520
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (17%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (75.3%); only 4 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold; 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 York County, SC. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in York County, South Carolina is $1,538 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,686/mo and a studio is $1,469/mo. This is 60% higher than the national average of $959 and 57% above the South Carolina average of $982.

Rent decreased6.6% from FY 2025 ($1,647), declining against the trend. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $61,520/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.

Observed renter burden: 46.0% of the 29,654 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: 282,987. Population grew 11.6% 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.

FMR filing desk

Area YORK·COUNTY·SC·SC

York County, SC: $1,538/mo 1BR · #314 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA SC
  • 1BR-FMR $1,538
  • 2BR-FMR $1,686
  • RANK-UPPER #314
  • YOY-DOWN -6.6%
  • VSUS-HIGH +60%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +57% SC
  • INC-MID 22%
  • POP-MAJOR 283K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Greenville County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,384–$1,692
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Greenville ($317 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $928 · US avg: $893
$1,469/mo
↓ 7.4% YoY +58% vs state +65% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $982 · US avg: $959
$1,538/mo
↓ 6.6% YoY +57% vs state +60% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,155 · US avg: $1,175
$1,686/mo
↓ 7.6% YoY +46% vs state +43% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,450 · US avg: $1,525
$2,076/mo
↓ 7.7% YoY +43% vs state +36% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,699 · US avg: $1,756
$2,637/mo
↓ 7.5% YoY +55% vs state +50% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,586
$1,469
$-117 (-7.4%)
1 Bedroom $1,647
$1,538
$-109 (-6.6%)
2 Bedroom $1,824
$1,686
$-138 (-7.6%)
3 Bedroom $2,250
$2,076
$-174 (-7.7%)
4 Bedroom $2,852
$2,637
$-215 (-7.5%)

Rent Burden Analysis

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

Studio
21.2%
Affordable
Need $58,760/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
22.2%
Affordable
Need $61,520/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
24.4%
Affordable
Need $67,440/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
30%
Affordable
Need $83,040/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
38.1%
Burdened
Need $105,480/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%24.4%
York County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $83,060 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View South Carolina rent burden →

Where York sits among every US county

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

$1,686 Top 10% higher than 90% 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%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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 York compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other South Carolina counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows York is highlighted. Nearby South Carolina counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Charleston County ($1,630), York County (this county) ($1,538), Horry County ($1,229), Greenville County ($1,221), Richland 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 $1,538/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 17% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $99,340 18.6% Affordable
Registered Nurses $79,900 23.1% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $73,180 25.2% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $59,370 31.1% Stretched
Electricians $58,260 31.7% Stretched
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $58,020 31.8% Stretched
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $51,810 35.6% Stretched
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $48,640 37.9% Stretched
Pharmacy Technicians $38,960 47.4% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $37,940 48.6% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $29,560 62.4% Unaffordable
Retail Salespersons $29,450 62.7% Unaffordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $26,830 68.8% Unaffordable
Teaching Assistants $24,510 75.3% 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 York County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for York (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 64.7% overall, from $934 to $1,538. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 19.0% (FY 2025), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$800$1,000$1,200$1,400$1,600$1,800 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,538
York County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓6.6% $1,469 $1,538 $1,686
FY 2025 ↑19.0% $1,586 $1,647 $1,824
FY 2024 ↑17.3% $1,347 $1,384 $1,554
FY 2023 ↑16.4% $1,154 $1,180 $1,333
FY 2022 ↑0.4% $996 $1,014 $1,155
FY 2021 ↑8.1% $987 $1,010 $1,151
FY 2020 $907 $934 $1,063
Total change (6yr): +64.7%
Annualized: +8.7%/yr
1 BR: $934 → $1,538

Part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area

York County is a outlying county of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan statistical area, alongside 10 other metro-area counties.

York County ranks #5 of 11 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Mecklenburg County ($1,538), Union County ($1,538), Gaston County ($1,538), Cabarrus County ($1,538), York County (this county) ($1,538), Iredell County ($1,222), Rowan County ($958), Lincoln County ($953), Lancaster County ($922), Anson County ($867), Chester County ($816).

Mecklenburg County
1 BR: $1,538/mo
Union County
1 BR: $1,538/mo
Gaston County
1 BR: $1,538/mo
Cabarrus County
1 BR: $1,538/mo
York County (this county)
1 BR: $1,538/mo
Iredell County
1 BR: $1,222/mo
Rowan County
1 BR: $958/mo
Lincoln County
1 BR: $953/mo
Lancaster County
1 BR: $922/mo
Anson County
1 BR: $867/mo
Chester County
1 BR: $816/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for York 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).

Mecklenburg County
NC · 2 BR $1,686/mo
Union County
NC · 2 BR $1,686/mo
Gaston County
NC · 2 BR $1,686/mo
Cabarrus County
NC · 2 BR $1,686/mo

Similar rent burden

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

Grundy County
TN · 24.4% of income · 2 BR $925/mo
Walthall County
MS · 24.4% of income · 2 BR $923/mo
Pointe Coupee Parish
LA · 24.3% of income · 2 BR $1,204/mo
Seminole County
OK · 24.3% of income · 2 BR $937/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
Richland County
1 BR: $1,164/mo Pop: 416,161
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
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 York County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in York County is $1,538 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,686 and a studio is $1,469.
How does York County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in York County is 60% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,538 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does York County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, York County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,686 ranks #314 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in York County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $61,520 ($5,127/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in York County.
Is rent going up or down in York County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in York County decreased by 6.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,647 to $1,538.
Which jobs can afford rent in York 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 $1,538/mo. 4 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in York County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in York County went from $934 in FY 2020 to $1,538 in FY 2026, a total change of +64.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in York County? ▼
In York County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,538/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 York County? ▼
For York County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,538/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.