South Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Lancaster County, SC

Prices around Lancaster County, SC run 2.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $78,869 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,011 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $40,440 a year.

Lancaster County, SC at a glance

Median household income

$78,869$6,572 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,011HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)97.3-2.7% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.6¢per kWh · EIA Residential SC
Population104,475Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Lancaster 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$1,011Monthly market rent
Share of gross income15.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$40,440To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,972At 30% of $78,869
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Lancaster County, SC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$881$10,572$35,24013.4%
1-Bedroom Apartment$922$11,064$36,88014%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,011$12,132$40,44015.4%
3-Bedroom Home$1,382$16,584$55,28021%
4-Bedroom Home$1,696$20,352$67,84025.8%

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

What a typical income covers in Lancaster County, SC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $78,869 a year ($6,572 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,286/moRent ($1,011 2-BR), utilities (~$140/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,972/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,314/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $78,869 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.

$78,869
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$78,869
Net 78%
Fed 11%
SC 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$61,401After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,117Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,362Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,521 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$2,914 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,033 / yr

Living in Lancaster County, SC: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Lancaster County, SC is $78,869 per year (approximately $6,572 per month).

What is the average rent in Lancaster County, SC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $881 for a studio, $922 for one bedroom, $1,011 for two, $1,382 for three and $1,696 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 Lancaster County, SC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 2.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 97.3, 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 Lancaster County, SC?

To keep a $1,011 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $40,440 a year, or $3,370 a month. That is 51% of what the typical household in Lancaster County, SC earns.

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

On the local median income of $78,869 ($6,572 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,286 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,972 for everything else and $1,314 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,011 takes 31% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Lancaster 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.