Housing affordability index in South Carolina
Housing affordability index in South Carolina: puts one number on the housing question: 21.8% of the state's median household income goes to principal and interest on a median-priced home at today's rate.
30-year fixed rate used: 6.76% (observed 2026-09-10, FRED MORTGAGE30US).
Share of income
21.8%
principal + interest
Monthly payment
$1,168
on a $224,842 home
Median income
$64,338
households, ACS 5-year
| Rank | County | Share of income | Monthly P&I |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston County | 32.8% | $2,156 |
| 2 | Beaufort County | 29% | $1,963 |
| 3 | Jasper County | 25.1% | $1,266 |
| 4 | Georgetown County | 24.5% | $1,219 |
| 5 | Horry County | 24.5% | $1,221 |
| 6 | Lancaster County | 23.5% | $1,413 |
| 7 | Dorchester County | 23.1% | $1,418 |
| 8 | York County | 22.4% | $1,494 |
| 9 | Greenville County | 21.7% | $1,293 |
| 10 | Pickens County | 21.3% | $1,021 |
| 11 | Oconee County | 21.2% | $1,001 |
| 12 | Richland County | 21% | $1,045 |
| 13 | Berkeley County | 20.3% | $1,315 |
| 14 | Spartanburg County | 19.7% | $1,017 |
| 15 | Anderson County | 18.9% | $984 |
| 16 | Greenwood County | 18.9% | $748 |
| 17 | Darlington County | 18.6% | $689 |
| 18 | Aiken County | 17.9% | $944 |
| 19 | Kershaw County | 17.7% | $903 |
| 20 | Florence County | 17.5% | $818 |
| 21 | Lexington County | 17.3% | $1,026 |
| 22 | Clarendon County | 17.2% | $696 |
| 23 | Fairfield County | 17.2% | $640 |
| 24 | Colleton County | 16.9% | $661 |
| 25 | Edgefield County | 16.9% | $846 |
| 26 | Sumter County | 16.9% | $760 |
| 27 | Chester County | 16.6% | $694 |
| 28 | Laurens County | 16.6% | $720 |
| 29 | Cherokee County | 16.5% | $647 |
| 30 | Orangeburg County | 16% | $548 |
| 31 | Marion County | 15.6% | $469 |
| 32 | Newberry County | 15.3% | $723 |
| 33 | Lee County | 14.9% | $485 |
| 34 | Abbeville County | 14.8% | $615 |
| 35 | Calhoun County | 14.7% | $680 |
| 36 | Hampton County | 14.6% | $488 |
| 37 | Saluda County | 14.4% | $612 |
| 38 | Barnwell County | 14.3% | $504 |
| 39 | Marlboro County | 14.2% | $405 |
| 40 | Union County | 14% | $495 |
| 41 | Bamberg County | 13.8% | $505 |
| 42 | McCormick County | 13.4% | $621 |
| 43 | Williamsburg County | 13.3% | $451 |
| 44 | Dillon County | 13.1% | $465 |
| 45 | Chesterfield County | 12.3% | $475 |
| 46 | Allendale County | 10.4% | $321 |
Methodology
Every county figure for South Carolina uses the county's own median home value and median household income from the Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates, a 20% deposit, and the current 30-year fixed rate from FRED (MORTGAGE30US) amortised over 30 years.
The share shown is annualised principal and interest divided by median household income. Property tax, insurance and HOA dues are excluded so the comparison between counties stays like-for-like.
Counties without both a published home value and a published income are left out entirely rather than filled with an estimate, so the table is shorter than the county list in some states.
Sources: FRED series MORTGAGE30US, Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2022.