South Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Cherokee County, SC

Prices around Cherokee County, SC run 6.3% below the U.S. average (BEA, South Carolina). The typical household there earns $50,288 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $902 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $36,080 a year.

Cherokee County, SC at a glance

Median household income

$50,288$4,191 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$902HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)93.7-6.3% · BEA, South Carolina
Electricity15.6¢per kWh · EIA Residential SC
Population56,647Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Cherokee County, SC?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$902Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$36,080To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,257At 30% of $50,288
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Cherokee County, SC? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Cherokee County, SC, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Cherokee County, SC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$755$9,060$30,20018%
1-Bedroom Apartment$795$9,540$31,80019%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$902$10,824$36,08021.5%
3-Bedroom Home$1,135$13,620$45,40027.1%
4-Bedroom Home$1,349$16,188$53,96032.2%

Rent in Cherokee County, SC, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Cherokee County, SC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $50,288 a year ($4,191 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,095/moRent ($902 2-BR), utilities (~$140/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,257/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$838/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $50,288 leaves after South Carolina taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and South Carolina tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$50,288
$20,000$105,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$50,288
Net 83%
Fed 8%
SC 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$41,568After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,464Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,599Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,855 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$1,018 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,847 / yr

Living in Cherokee County, SC: common questions

What is the median household income in Cherokee County, SC?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Cherokee County, SC is $50,288 per year (approximately $4,191 per month).

What is the average rent in Cherokee County, SC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $755 for a studio, $795 for one bedroom, $902 for two, $1,135 for three and $1,349 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Cherokee County, SC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 6.3% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for South Carolina is 93.7, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Cherokee County, SC?

To keep a $902 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $36,080 a year, or $3,007 a month. That is 72% of what the typical household in Cherokee County, SC earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Cherokee County, SC?

On the local median income of $50,288 ($4,191 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,095 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,257 for everything else and $838 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $902 takes 43% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Cherokee County, SC?

Homes in South Carolina paid 15.6¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $140. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.