State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in South Carolina

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across South Carolina is $982/mo - 2% above the US average.

$982
Avg 1BR FMR
46
Counties
8
Metro areas

The verdict

South Carolina's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $1,155 - 2% below the US average, the 24th lowest of 51 states.

South Carolina's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom averages $1,155, 2% below the US average - the 24th lowest of 51 states. A household needs about $46,200 in annual income to afford it under HUD's 30% affordability rule, and rents vary 141% between the state's cheapest and priciest counties.

#24
most affordable of 51 states (2BR)
-2%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$46,200
income to afford it (30% rule)
141%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 46 counties and 8 metro areas in SC. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for South Carolina

Across South Carolina's 46 counties and 8 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent averages $982/mo for a 1-bedroom (studio through 4-bedroom averages are broken out below). FMR is set at the county or metro FMR area level, not statewide, so that figure is the arithmetic average of every FMR area inside SC, weighted equally. Local housing authorities use each county's or metro's FMR (not the state average) to calibrate Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards, typically ranging from 90% to 110% of FMR.

Benchmarked against the rest of the country, South Carolina's average 1-bedroom FMR of $982 is 2% above the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform - the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Bamberg County at $687, while the most expensive is in Beaufort County at $1,657, a spread of roughly 141% between the lowest- and highest-cost counties. That intra-state dispersion is why urban voucher recipients, families relocating for jobs, and landlords setting Section 8 rents all need to check the specific FMR area rather than rely on a statewide figure.

For affordability, the 30% rule implies a household income of $39,280 per year (about $3,273/month) to afford South Carolina's average 1-bedroom at $982. With a state population of 5,212,774 and median household income of $66,818, a significant share of South Carolina renters fall above the 30% cost-burden threshold in higher-FMR counties. Pair these rent figures with South Carolina's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where South Carolina sits among all 50 states + DC

Average 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. every US state

$1,155 higher than 45% of 51 states

$900–$1,000: 11 states (22%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,100: 7 states (14%). Below this entry. $1,100–$1,200: 8 states (16%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,300: 2 states (4%). Above this entry. $1,300–$1,400: 3 states (6%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,500: 8 states (16%). Above this entry. $1,500–$1,600: 3 states (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,700: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,700–$1,800: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,800–$1,900: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,900–$2,000: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,100: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,100–$2,200: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,300: 2 states (4%). Above this entry. $2,300–$2,400: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,500: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. SC $900 $2,500 every US state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.1K-wide band; taller bars hold more states. 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

State Average vs National Average

Studio
$928
+4% vs US avg
1 BR
$982
+2% vs US avg
2 BR
$1,155
-2% vs US avg
3 BR
$1,450
-5% vs US avg
4 BR
$1,699
-3% vs US avg

Most expensive counties in South Carolina by 1-bedroom FMR

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent, the highest-cost 10 of 46 SC counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Inside SC, 1-bedroom FMR runs from $687 in Bamberg County to $1,657 in Beaufort County.

Source HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data As of FY2026

Cheapest Counties

Lowest FMR rental costs →

Most Expensive Counties

Highest FMR rental costs →

Rent Burden

% of income spent on rent →

Rent Growth

YoY rent trends by county →

Metro areas in South Carolina

Each metro FMR area applies one rent schedule across all its counties, ranked here by 1-bedroom FMR.

# Metro area Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Beaufort County, SC HUD Metro FMR Area $1,582
$1,657
$1,816$2,177$2,720
2 Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA $1,557
$1,630
$1,787$2,222$2,562
3 Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area $1,145
$1,229
$1,465$1,805$2,111
4 Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area $1,032
$1,164
$1,276$1,623$1,911
5 Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area $1,034
$1,083
$1,187$1,439$1,661
6 Anderson, SC HUD Metro FMR Area $1,022
$1,035
$1,173$1,519$1,849
7 Sumter, SC MSA $880
$972
$1,276$1,530$1,871
8 Darlington County, SC HUD Metro FMR Area $850
$856
$1,098$1,317$1,499

Counties in South Carolina, ranked by rent (46)

All 46 counties with a published FY2026 Fair Market Rent, highest 1-bedroom first.

46 of 46
# County Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Beaufort County $1,582
$1,657
$1,816$2,177$2,720
2 Berkeley County $1,557
$1,630
$1,787$2,222$2,562
3 Charleston County $1,557
$1,630
$1,787$2,222$2,562
4 Dorchester County $1,557
$1,630
$1,787$2,222$2,562
5 York County $1,469
$1,538
$1,686$2,076$2,637
6 Jasper County $1,343
$1,407
$1,542$1,849$2,246
7 Horry County $1,145
$1,229
$1,465$1,805$2,111
8 Greenville County $1,166
$1,221
$1,339$1,612$1,943
9 Pickens County $1,166
$1,221
$1,339$1,612$1,943
10 Calhoun County $1,032
$1,164
$1,276$1,623$1,911
11 Fairfield County $1,032
$1,164
$1,276$1,623$1,911
12 Lexington County $1,032
$1,164
$1,276$1,623$1,911
13 Richland County $1,032
$1,164
$1,276$1,623$1,911
14 Saluda County $1,032
$1,164
$1,276$1,623$1,911
15 Aiken County $939
$1,114
$1,261$1,627$1,984
16 Edgefield County $939
$1,114
$1,261$1,627$1,984
17 Spartanburg County $1,034
$1,083
$1,187$1,439$1,661
18 Anderson County $1,022
$1,035
$1,173$1,519$1,849
19 Sumter County $880
$972
$1,276$1,530$1,871
20 Florence County $948
$953
$1,117$1,434$1,588
21 Lancaster County $881
$922
$1,011$1,382$1,696
22 Georgetown County $905
$918
$1,204$1,444$1,944
23 Laurens County $863
$869
$1,133$1,358$1,625
24 Darlington County $850
$856
$1,098$1,317$1,499
25 Kershaw County $844
$849
$1,009$1,214$1,458
26 Allendale County $678
$823
$902$1,216$1,246
27 Marion County $678
$823
$902$1,197$1,424
28 Chester County $811
$816
$1,056$1,469$1,547
29 Cherokee County $755
$795
$902$1,135$1,349
30 Union County $786
$791
$1,038$1,270$1,374
31 Newberry County $747
$787
$994$1,192$1,353
32 Dillon County $758
$762
$902$1,235$1,513
33 Greenwood County $703
$757
$934$1,135$1,275
34 Orangeburg County $709
$750
$910$1,091$1,205
35 McCormick County $719
$729
$956$1,251$1,320
36 Abbeville County $678
$725
$902$1,220$1,225
37 Hampton County $678
$720
$902$1,200$1,411
38 Oconee County $712
$717
$941$1,153$1,337
39 Barnwell County $699
$709
$930$1,115$1,231
40 Bamberg County $678
$687
$902$1,183$1,194
41 Chesterfield County $678
$687
$902$1,169$1,293
42 Clarendon County $683
$687
$902$1,205$1,380
43 Colleton County $678
$687
$902$1,081$1,470
44 Lee County $678
$687
$902$1,111$1,194
45 Marlboro County $685
$687
$902$1,082$1,482
46 Williamsburg County $678
$687
$902$1,183$1,310

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in South Carolina? ▼
The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in South Carolina is $982 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $1,155.
How does South Carolina rent compare to the national average? ▼
South Carolina rents are 2% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $982 vs $959 nationally.
Where is the cheapest rent in South Carolina? ▼
The most affordable county is Bamberg County with a 1-bedroom FMR of $687. The most expensive is Beaufort County at $1,657.
What income do I need to afford rent in South Carolina? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $39,280/year ($3,273/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in South Carolina.

Explore South Carolina rent data

Rent burden → Rent growth → Cheapest counties → Most expensive counties → National rent-burden rankings → Affordability calculator →

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for renters

Treat South Carolina's FY2026 average Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.

  • Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 average 1-bedroom FMR of $982 implies about $39,280/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
  • South Carolina's counties vary widely around this average -- compare specific counties before assuming this figure applies to yours. View county rankings
  • See where South Carolina ranks nationally on rent. National rankings

Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. This is a state-level average across 46 counties; actual asking rents in any specific county can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.

Related

Browse all counties → | Rankings →
Data sourced from HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data. See our methodology for details. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rent data (huduser.gov). Median household income and homeownership rate: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (census.gov/programs-surveys/acs).

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.