South Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Union County, SC

Prices around Union County, SC run 8.9% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $41,621 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,038 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $41,520 a year.

Union County, SC at a glance

Median household income

$41,621$3,468 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,038HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)91.1-8.9% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.6¢per kWh · EIA Residential SC
Population26,885Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Union 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$1,038Monthly market rent
Share of gross income29.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$41,520To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,041At 30% of $41,621
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Union County, SC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$786$9,432$31,44022.7%
1-Bedroom Apartment$791$9,492$31,64022.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,038$12,456$41,52029.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,270$15,240$50,80036.6%
4-Bedroom Home$1,374$16,488$54,96039.6%

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

What a typical income covers in Union County, SC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $41,621 a year ($3,468 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$1,734/moRent ($1,038 2-BR), utilities (~$140/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,041/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$694/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $41,621 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.

$41,621
$15,000$85,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$41,621
Net 84%
Fed 7%
SC 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$35,084After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,924Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,349Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,815 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$539 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,184 / yr

Living in Union County, SC: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Union County, SC is $41,621 per year (approximately $3,468 per month).

What is the average rent in Union County, SC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $786 for a studio, $791 for one bedroom, $1,038 for two, $1,270 for three and $1,374 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 Union County, SC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 8.9% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 91.1, 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 Union County, SC?

To keep a $1,038 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $41,520 a year, or $3,460 a month. That is 100% of what the typical household in Union County, SC earns.

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

On the local median income of $41,621 ($3,468 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $1,734 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,041 for everything else and $694 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,038 takes 60% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Union 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.