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 $1,702/month in 2026, up from $1,018 in 2015 (+67.2%). That sits $263 below (-13.4% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,965.
Last updated: July 19, 2026
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Jan snapshots for 2015–2025; 2026 column = June 2026 release · U.S. typical rent $1,965 (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 ($1,965/month in June 2026, up from $1,362 in January 2019 on our national series).
Since 2023, the tracked-city average in South Carolina has risen from about $1,546 to $1,702 (+10.1%). That is the post-spike path — not a full reset to mid-2010s rents. The latest year step (2025 → 2026) is +4.1% ($1,635 → $1,702).
Within the state, long-run winners and losers split by city. The largest percentage increase from the earliest reading to 2026 is North Charleston (+98.6%, $875 → $1,738). 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
- Laurens — $893
- Gaffney — $1,074
- Hartsville — $1,130
- Greenwood — $1,193
- Forest Acres — $1,193
Highest 2026 rents
- Hilton Head Island — $3,106
- Tega Cay — $2,600
- Mount Pleasant — $2,425 (+96.5% since 2015)
- Chapin — $2,345
- Charleston — $2,245 (+93.2% 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 | $811 | $849 | $867 | $902 | $946 | $981 | $1,037 | $1,183 | $1,265 | $1,351 | $1,429 | $1,478 | +82.2% | |
| Greenville | $895 | $944 | $978 | $1,014 | $1,088 | $1,113 | $1,170 | $1,326 | $1,420 | $1,461 | $1,523 | $1,561 | +74.4% | |
| Charleston | $1,162 | $1,229 | $1,303 | $1,360 | $1,393 | $1,435 | $1,477 | $1,717 | $1,930 | $2,040 | $2,090 | $2,245 | +93.2% | |
| Summerville | $1,054 | $1,104 | $1,148 | $1,207 | $1,244 | $1,315 | $1,371 | $1,553 | $1,700 | $1,791 | $1,817 | $1,896 | +79.9% | |
| Myrtle Beach | $935 | $982 | $1,037 | $1,088 | $1,140 | $1,187 | $1,248 | $1,504 | $1,629 | $1,642 | $1,657 | $1,676 | +79.3% | |
| Spartanburg | — | — | $834 | $875 | $917 | $981 | $1,015 | $1,152 | $1,214 | $1,268 | $1,312 | $1,375 | +64.9% | |
| Rock Hill | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,056 | $1,289 | $1,396 | $1,392 | $1,446 | $1,494 | +41.5% | |
| Lexington | $1,057 | $1,066 | $1,077 | $1,119 | $1,169 | $1,214 | $1,293 | $1,462 | $1,579 | $1,628 | $1,729 | $1,781 | +68.5% | |
| North Charleston | $875 | $933 | $984 | $1,044 | $1,089 | $1,143 | $1,179 | $1,365 | $1,513 | $1,624 | $1,650 | $1,738 | +98.6% | |
| Anderson | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,065 | $1,074 | $1,177 | $1,213 | $1,264 | +18.7% | |
| Fort Mill | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,428 | $1,647 | $1,752 | $1,730 | $1,767 | $1,803 | +26.3% | |
| Simpsonville | $1,097 | $1,155 | $1,182 | $1,224 | $1,257 | $1,300 | $1,378 | $1,540 | $1,643 | $1,686 | $1,739 | $1,813 | +65.3% | |
| Florence | — | — | — | — | — | — | $946 | $1,041 | $1,143 | $1,192 | $1,248 | $1,313 | +38.8% | |
| Greer | $985 | $1,012 | $1,061 | $1,109 | $1,137 | $1,178 | $1,244 | $1,382 | $1,505 | $1,548 | $1,629 | $1,702 | +72.8% | |
| Mount Pleasant | $1,234 | $1,302 | $1,351 | $1,385 | $1,435 | $1,468 | $1,521 | $1,875 | $2,082 | $2,210 | $2,266 | $2,425 | +96.5% | |
| Sumter | — | $869 | $889 | $915 | $954 | $985 | $1,069 | $1,182 | $1,295 | $1,390 | $1,463 | $1,530 | +76.1% | |
| Conway | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,696 | $1,702 | $1,763 | +4.0% | |
| Aiken | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,276 | $1,302 | $1,374 | $1,438 | +12.7% | |
| Easley | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,362 | $1,432 | $1,514 | $1,556 | $1,625 | +19.3% | |
| Bluffton | $1,147 | $1,225 | $1,284 | $1,353 | $1,385 | $1,430 | $1,513 | $1,934 | $2,058 | $2,123 | $2,177 | $2,233 | +94.7% | |
| Goose Creek | $963 | $993 | $1,038 | $1,082 | $1,137 | $1,188 | $1,268 | $1,474 | $1,596 | $1,706 | $1,744 | $1,890 | +96.3% | |
| Lancaster | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,318 | +0.0% | |
| Beaufort | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,679 | $1,703 | $1,773 | $1,800 | +7.2% | |
| Greenwood | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,064 | $1,193 | +12.1% | |
| North Augusta | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,319 | $1,402 | $1,495 | $1,569 | +19.0% | |
| Orangeburg | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,176 | $1,268 | +7.8% | |
| Gaffney | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $910 | $961 | $1,074 | +18.0% | |
| Moncks Corner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,853 | $2,062 | $2,148 | $2,244 | +21.1% | |
| Taylors | — | — | — | — | $904 | $940 | — | $1,160 | $1,213 | $1,279 | $1,334 | $1,372 | +51.8% | |
| Clover | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,920 | $2,041 | +6.3% | |
| Irmo | — | — | $1,149 | $1,153 | $1,221 | $1,250 | $1,339 | $1,466 | $1,635 | $1,678 | $1,729 | $1,852 | +61.2% | |
| Ladson | — | $933 | $999 | $1,035 | $1,076 | $1,198 | $1,195 | $1,399 | $1,526 | $1,579 | $1,631 | $1,697 | +81.9% | |
| Seneca | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,374 | $1,426 | $1,493 | +8.7% | |
| Hilton Head Island | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,513 | $2,655 | $2,700 | $3,106 | +23.6% | |
| Inman | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,493 | $1,564 | $1,648 | $1,744 | +16.8% | |
| Piedmont | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,477 | $1,518 | +2.8% | |
| Murrells Inlet | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,735 | $1,741 | $1,887 | +8.8% | |
| Hartsville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,130 | +0.0% | |
| Blythewood | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,724 | $1,785 | $1,816 | +5.3% | |
| Elgin | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,723 | $1,687 | $1,877 | +8.9% | |
| Boiling Springs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,467 | $1,515 | $1,584 | $1,661 | +13.2% | |
| Georgetown | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,475 | +0.0% | |
| Chapin | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,345 | +0.0% | |
| Camden | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,493 | +0.0% | |
| Travelers Rest | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,967 | +0.0% | |
| Little River | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,543 | $1,547 | +0.3% | |
| Fountain Inn | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,793 | $1,869 | $1,958 | +9.2% | |
| Laurens | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $893 | +0.0% | |
| West Columbia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,303 | $1,425 | $1,495 | $1,594 | $1,703 | +30.7% | |
| Newberry | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,338 | +0.0% | |
| Hanahan | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,626 | $1,773 | $1,781 | +9.5% | |
| Surfside Beach | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,506 | $1,525 | $1,578 | +4.8% | |
| Clemson | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,790 | $1,987 | $2,129 | +18.9% | |
| Central | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,342 | +0.0% | |
| Duncan | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,835 | $1,858 | +1.3% | |
| Pawleys Island | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,025 | +0.0% | |
| Moore | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,652 | +0.0% | |
| North Myrtle Beach | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,419 | $1,745 | +23.0% | |
| Ridgeland | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,223 | +0.0% | |
| Hopkins | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,687 | +0.0% | |
| Woodruff | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,714 | +0.0% | |
| Forest Acres | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,204 | $1,193 | -0.9% | |
| Longs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,955 | $2,046 | +4.7% | |
| Mauldin | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,264 | $1,300 | $1,379 | $1,420 | $1,421 | +12.4% | |
| Pendleton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,496 | +0.0% | |
| Lyman | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,716 | +0.0% | |
| Ridgeville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,678 | +0.0% | |
| Graniteville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,074 | +0.0% | |
| Hardeeville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,499 | +0.0% | |
| Gilbert | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,854 | +0.0% | |
| Cayce | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,633 | +0.0% | |
| Warrenville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,502 | +0.0% | |
| Tega Cay | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,600 | +0.0% | |
| Dalzell | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,575 | +0.0% | |
| Port Royal | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,460 | $1,505 | +3.1% | |
| Springdale | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,378 | +0.0% |
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?
Yes — relative to the national market. The average rent across 76 tracked South Carolina cities is about $1,702/month, which is $263 below (-13.4% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,965. That is a city-average in our sample, not a single statewide ZORI print, but it is a clear signal that South Carolina screens cheaper than the U.S. typical $1,965.
What city in South Carolina has the cheapest rent?
Among cities in our ZORI sample, Laurens is the lowest at about $893/month (2026). Other lower-rent cities include Gaffney ($1,074), Hartsville ($1,130), Greenwood ($1,193).
What city in South Carolina has the most expensive rent?
Hilton Head Island leads our sample at about $3,106/month in 2026, followed by Tega Cay ($2,600) and Mount Pleasant ($2,425).
How much have rents in South Carolina changed since 2015?
Across tracked cities, the average moved from about $1,018 in 2015 to $1,702 in 2026 (+67.2%). 12 of 76 cities are higher than their earliest reading in this series; the largest percentage jump is North Charleston (+98.6%).
Are rents in South Carolina still rising year over year?
From 2025 to 2026, the average across tracked South Carolina cities went from about $1,635 to $1,702 (+4.1%). Since 2023 ($1,546), that is +10.1%. Individual cities can diverge — sort by % Chg or compare the '25 and '26 columns.