South Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Pickens County, SC

Prices around Pickens County, SC run 6.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $61,064 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,339 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $53,560 a year.

Pickens County, SC at a glance

Median household income

$61,064$5,089 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,339HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)93.3-6.7% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.6¢per kWh · EIA Residential SC
Population134,629Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Pickens 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$1,339Monthly market rent
Share of gross income26.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$53,560To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,527At 30% of $61,064
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Pickens County, SC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,166$13,992$46,64022.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,221$14,652$48,84024%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,339$16,068$53,56026.3%
3-Bedroom Home$1,612$19,344$64,48031.7%
4-Bedroom Home$1,943$23,316$77,72038.2%

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

What a typical income covers in Pickens County, SC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $61,064 a year ($5,089 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,544/moRent ($1,339 2-BR), utilities (~$140/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,527/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,018/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $61,064 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.

$61,064
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$61,064
Net 81%
Fed 8%
SC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$49,512After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,126Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,904Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,148 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$1,733 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,671 / yr

Living in Pickens County, SC: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Pickens County, SC is $61,064 per year (approximately $5,089 per month).

What is the average rent in Pickens County, SC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,166 for a studio, $1,221 for one bedroom, $1,339 for two, $1,612 for three and $1,943 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 Pickens County, SC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 6.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 93.3, 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 Pickens County, SC?

To keep a $1,339 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $53,560 a year, or $4,463 a month. That is 88% of what the typical household in Pickens County, SC earns.

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

On the local median income of $61,064 ($5,089 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,544 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,527 for everything else and $1,018 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,339 takes 53% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Pickens 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.