South Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Saluda County, SC

Prices around Saluda County, SC run 6.3% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $51,009 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,276 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $51,040 a year.

Saluda County, SC at a glance

Median household income

$51,009$4,251 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,276HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)93.7-6.3% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.6¢per kWh · EIA Residential SC
Population19,131Census ACS 5-year estimate

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

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

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,276Monthly market rent
Share of gross income30%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$51,040To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,275At 30% of $51,009
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Saluda County, SC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,032$12,384$41,28024.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,164$13,968$46,56027.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,276$15,312$51,04030%
3-Bedroom Home$1,623$19,476$64,92038.2%
4-Bedroom Home$1,911$22,932$76,44045%

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

What a typical income covers in Saluda County, SC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $51,009 a year ($4,251 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,125/moRent ($1,276 2-BR), utilities (~$140/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,275/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$850/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $51,009 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.

$51,009
$20,000$105,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$51,009
Net 83%
Fed 8%
SC 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$42,099After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,508Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,619Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,941 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$1,066 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,902 / yr

Living in Saluda County, SC: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Saluda County, SC is $51,009 per year (approximately $4,251 per month).

What is the average rent in Saluda County, SC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,032 for a studio, $1,164 for one bedroom, $1,276 for two, $1,623 for three and $1,911 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 Saluda County, SC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 6.3% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area 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 Saluda County, SC?

To keep a $1,276 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $51,040 a year, or $4,253 a month. That is 100% of what the typical household in Saluda County, SC earns.

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

On the local median income of $51,009 ($4,251 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,125 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,275 for everything else and $850 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,276 takes 60% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Saluda 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.