Rent Trends / SC
Rent Trends in South Carolina: 2015 to 2026
Yearly Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for 76 cities in South Carolina. The average across tracked cities is $1,809/month in 2026, up from $1,018 in 2015 (+77.7%). That sits $153 below (-7.8% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962.
Last updated: September 14, 2026
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Jan snapshots for 2015–2025; 2026 column = June 2026 release · U.S. typical rent $1,962 (June 2026)
What the South Carolina rent trend shows
This page follows market rents in South Carolina from 2015 through mid-2026 using the same Zillow ZORI vintage for every city in the table. State figures below are simple averages of the tracked cities — useful for comparing places inside South Carolina and stacking the state against the published U.S. typical rent ($1,962/month in June 2026, up from $1,357 in January 2019 on our national series).
Since 2023, the tracked-city average in South Carolina has risen from about $1,542 to $1,809 (+17.3%). That is the post-spike path — not a full reset to mid-2010s rents. The latest year step (2025 → 2026) is +11.5% ($1,623 → $1,809).
Within the state, long-run winners and losers split by city. The largest percentage increase from the earliest reading to 2026 is North Charleston (+99.5%, $873 → $1,742). 12 of 76 tracked cities are higher than their 2015 (or earliest) level.
For the national rent story, see the Rent Index. Statewide maps live on Rent by State. Full city database: Rent by City.
City-level breakdown in South Carolina
Lowest 2026 rents
- Gaffney — $1,047
- Laurens — $1,090
- Forest Acres — $1,136
- Hartsville — $1,184
- Greenwood — $1,226
Highest 2026 rents
- Isle of Palms — $11,500
- Hilton Head Island — $2,938
- Mount Pleasant — $2,450 (+99.0% since 2015)
- Chapin — $2,305
- Charleston — $2,293 (+94.7% since 2015)
Full list with every year from 2015–2026 is in the sortable table below.
All South Carolina cities — yearly rent table
| City | Metro | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25 | '26 | % Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $807 | $845 | $863 | $898 | $941 | $977 | $1,032 | $1,177 | $1,261 | $1,344 | $1,422 | $1,478 | +83.1% | |
| Greenville | $896 | $944 | $978 | $1,015 | $1,089 | $1,113 | $1,171 | $1,327 | $1,420 | $1,462 | $1,523 | $1,571 | +75.3% | |
| Charleston | $1,178 | $1,246 | $1,321 | $1,379 | $1,412 | $1,455 | $1,497 | $1,739 | $1,957 | $2,066 | $2,119 | $2,293 | +94.7% | |
| Summerville | $1,052 | $1,102 | $1,145 | $1,204 | $1,241 | $1,310 | $1,367 | $1,548 | $1,691 | $1,781 | $1,805 | $1,879 | +78.6% | |
| Myrtle Beach | $954 | $1,000 | $1,056 | $1,106 | $1,160 | $1,206 | $1,273 | $1,530 | $1,655 | $1,663 | $1,679 | $1,697 | +77.9% | |
| Spartanburg | — | — | $832 | $874 | $915 | $977 | $1,012 | $1,148 | $1,209 | $1,263 | $1,307 | $1,372 | +64.9% | |
| Rock Hill | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,064 | $1,300 | $1,405 | $1,402 | $1,456 | $1,488 | +39.8% | |
| Lexington | $1,067 | $1,074 | $1,086 | $1,128 | $1,179 | $1,227 | $1,304 | $1,473 | $1,590 | $1,640 | $1,741 | $1,798 | +68.5% | |
| North Charleston | $873 | $932 | $983 | $1,043 | $1,088 | $1,140 | $1,176 | $1,363 | $1,513 | $1,624 | $1,648 | $1,742 | +99.5% | |
| Anderson | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,069 | $1,078 | $1,182 | $1,214 | $1,277 | +19.5% | |
| Fort Mill | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,400 | $1,614 | $1,719 | $1,698 | $1,734 | $1,764 | +26.0% | |
| Simpsonville | $1,091 | $1,149 | $1,176 | $1,218 | $1,251 | $1,292 | $1,370 | $1,536 | $1,630 | $1,677 | $1,732 | $1,813 | +66.2% | |
| Florence | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,053 | $1,160 | $1,272 | $1,326 | $1,388 | $1,462 | +38.8% | |
| Greer | $1,012 | $1,037 | $1,086 | $1,135 | $1,163 | $1,202 | $1,270 | $1,410 | $1,535 | $1,578 | $1,659 | $1,734 | +71.3% | |
| Mount Pleasant | $1,231 | $1,300 | $1,345 | $1,377 | $1,426 | $1,457 | $1,509 | $1,857 | $2,063 | $2,189 | $2,248 | $2,450 | +99.0% | |
| Sumter | — | $869 | $889 | $915 | $953 | $983 | $1,069 | $1,180 | $1,296 | $1,387 | $1,458 | $1,530 | +76.1% | |
| Conway | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,795 | $1,802 | $1,890 | +5.3% | |
| Aiken | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,242 | $1,267 | $1,340 | $1,414 | +13.8% | |
| Easley | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,325 | $1,392 | $1,475 | $1,512 | $1,605 | +21.1% | |
| Bluffton | $1,110 | $1,185 | $1,243 | $1,311 | $1,342 | $1,385 | $1,465 | $1,874 | $1,998 | $2,054 | $2,106 | $2,149 | +93.6% | |
| Goose Creek | $946 | $976 | $1,021 | $1,063 | $1,117 | $1,167 | $1,247 | $1,447 | $1,573 | $1,680 | $1,713 | $1,857 | +96.3% | |
| Lancaster | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,323 | +0.0% | |
| Beaufort | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,710 | $1,739 | $1,811 | $1,825 | +6.7% | |
| Greenwood | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,091 | $1,226 | +12.4% | |
| North Augusta | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,371 | $1,464 | $1,559 | $1,637 | +19.4% | |
| Orangeburg | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,233 | $1,328 | +7.7% | |
| Gaffney | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $888 | $938 | $1,047 | +17.9% | |
| Moncks Corner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,850 | $2,053 | $2,129 | $2,221 | +20.1% | |
| Taylors | — | — | — | — | $891 | $926 | — | $1,140 | $1,196 | $1,259 | $1,312 | $1,348 | +51.3% | |
| Clover | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,930 | $2,063 | +6.9% | |
| Irmo | — | — | $1,133 | $1,139 | $1,205 | $1,233 | $1,320 | $1,447 | $1,615 | $1,657 | $1,706 | $1,855 | +63.7% | |
| Ladson | — | $934 | $1,000 | $1,036 | $1,078 | $1,201 | $1,194 | $1,398 | $1,523 | $1,570 | $1,622 | $1,686 | +80.5% | |
| Seneca | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,275 | $1,321 | $1,401 | +9.9% | |
| Hilton Head Island | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,436 | $2,570 | $2,617 | $2,938 | +20.6% | |
| Inman | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,387 | $1,461 | $1,538 | $1,639 | +18.2% | |
| Piedmont | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,455 | $1,501 | +3.2% | |
| Murrells Inlet | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,844 | $1,845 | $1,948 | +5.6% | |
| Hartsville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,184 | +0.0% | |
| Blythewood | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,693 | $1,757 | $1,813 | +7.1% | |
| Elgin | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,695 | $1,660 | $1,834 | +8.2% | |
| Boiling Springs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,445 | $1,493 | $1,560 | $1,634 | +13.1% | |
| Darlington | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,274 | +0.0% | |
| Chapin | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,305 | +0.0% | |
| Camden | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,748 | +0.0% | |
| Travelers Rest | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,884 | +0.0% | |
| Little River | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,526 | $1,503 | -1.5% | |
| Fountain Inn | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,829 | $1,910 | $2,008 | +9.8% | |
| Laurens | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,090 | +0.0% | |
| West Columbia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,376 | $1,505 | $1,578 | $1,683 | $1,765 | +28.3% | |
| Newberry | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,283 | +0.0% | |
| Gaston | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,625 | +0.0% | |
| Hanahan | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,612 | $1,749 | $1,745 | +8.3% | |
| Surfside Beach | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,541 | $1,559 | $1,607 | +4.3% | |
| Clemson | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,396 | $1,546 | $1,614 | +15.6% | |
| Central | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,285 | +0.0% | |
| Duncan | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,972 | $2,003 | +1.6% | |
| Lugoff | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,959 | +0.0% | |
| Pawleys Island | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,926 | +0.0% | |
| Moore | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,643 | +0.0% | |
| North Myrtle Beach | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,466 | $1,673 | +14.1% | |
| Ridgeland | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,877 | +0.0% | |
| Hopkins | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,635 | +0.0% | |
| Woodruff | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,800 | +0.0% | |
| Forest Acres | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,164 | $1,136 | -2.4% | |
| Mauldin | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,217 | $1,254 | $1,326 | $1,366 | $1,373 | +12.8% | |
| Pendleton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,503 | +0.0% | |
| Lyman | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,713 | +0.0% | |
| Ridgeville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,701 | +0.0% | |
| Graniteville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,986 | +0.0% | |
| Hardeeville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,451 | +0.0% | |
| Gilbert | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,905 | +0.0% | |
| Cayce | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,559 | +0.0% | |
| Warrenville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,475 | +0.0% | |
| Dalzell | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,658 | +0.0% | |
| Isle of Palms | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $11,500 | +0.0% | |
| Port Royal | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,523 | $1,569 | +3.0% |
Click any column header to sort · % Chg uses earliest available year → 2026
Frequently asked questions — South Carolina rent
Is South Carolina cheap to rent in 2026?
It depends which city you pick. The average across 76 tracked South Carolina cities is about $1,809/month — $153 below (-7.8% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962. Use the city table for local prices; the national typical rent is $1,962/month as of June 2026.
What city in South Carolina has the cheapest rent?
Among cities in our ZORI sample, Gaffney is the lowest at about $1,047/month (2026). Other lower-rent cities include Laurens ($1,090), Forest Acres ($1,136), Hartsville ($1,184).
What city in South Carolina has the most expensive rent?
Isle of Palms leads our sample at about $11,500/month in 2026, followed by Hilton Head Island ($2,938) and Mount Pleasant ($2,450).
How much have rents in South Carolina changed since 2015?
Across tracked cities, the average moved from about $1,018 in 2015 to $1,809 in 2026 (+77.7%). 12 of 76 cities are higher than their earliest reading in this series; the largest percentage jump is North Charleston (+99.5%).
Are rents in South Carolina still rising year over year?
From 2025 to 2026, the average across tracked South Carolina cities went from about $1,623 to $1,809 (+11.5%). Since 2023 ($1,542), that is +17.3%. Individual cities can diverge — sort by % Chg or compare the '25 and '26 columns.