Rental Market in
South Carolina

Median rents, affordability ratios, and city-by-city breakdowns across 3 metro areas.

State Average Rent

$---

-7.5% vs national

Lowest Rent

$---

Columbia

Highest Rent

$---

Charleston

Avg Rent-to-Income

---%of annual income

Rent Landscape

$2,127

28% income

$1,670

32% income

$1,459

31% income

<30% Affordable 30-40% Stretched >40% Unaffordable National avg

All Cities

City	Median Rent	Affordability	Population
Charleston	$2,127	28.3%	155,369
North Charleston	$1,670	31.9%	121,469
Columbia	$1,459	31.5%	129,330

Affordability Breakdown

Affordable (<30%)1

Stretched (30–40%)2

Unaffordable (>40%)0

Most Affordable

Most Expensive

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Data Sources & Methodology

Rent Data: According to Zillow ZORI (Zillow Observed Rent Index), the industry standard for median asking rent data.

Income Data: According to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023, table B19013 — median household income.

Affordability: Calculated as (Monthly Rent × 12) ÷ Annual Income × 100%. The 30% threshold is the HUD standard.

Updated monthly

Last refresh: Mar 20, 2026

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