It's no secret that many Americans are forgoing homeownership in favor of renting. In 2020, renters in the U.S. occupied 43 million housing units.
The Stacker team looked at data from a United States Census survey that revealed an estimated 43,378,800 renter-occupied homes in the United States as of 2017, which makes up 36.1% of all households in the country. In 2019, renting was more affordable than buying a median-priced home in 59% of the counties; in 2021, the opposite was true: Owning was more affordable than renting in 63% of U.S. counties.
Stacker compiled a list of counties in South Carolina where people spend the highest percent of income on rent using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Of course, saving money by owning a home is unattainable for many Americans who don't have savings that could cover a down payment, those who are denied a mortgage, or both. Keep reading to see where in your home state most of people's take-home pay goes to their monthly rent.
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#46. Calhoun County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 14.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.6%
- Total occupied households: 6,179
- Median household income: $46,339
- Median monthly housing cost: $562
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#45. Chester County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.6%
- Total occupied households: 12,653
- Median household income: $42,442
- Median monthly housing cost: $533
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#44. Saluda County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.8%
- Total occupied households: 7,094
- Median household income: $45,714
- Median monthly housing cost: $575
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#43. Chesterfield County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.2%
- Total occupied households: 17,900
- Median household income: $41,505
- Median monthly housing cost: $523
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#42. Hampton County
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#41. Union County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.9%
- Total occupied households: 11,432
- Median household income: $41,186
- Median monthly housing cost: $552
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#40. Edgefield County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.1%
- Total occupied households: 9,176
- Median household income: $49,127
- Median monthly housing cost: $672
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#39. Oconee County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.6%
- Total occupied households: 31,978
- Median household income: $49,134
- Median monthly housing cost: $675
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#38. Lancaster County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.1%
- Total occupied households: 33,899
- Median household income: $58,849
- Median monthly housing cost: $829
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#37. Clarendon County
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#36. Anderson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.0%
- Total occupied households: 76,798
- Median household income: $50,865
- Median monthly housing cost: $737
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#35. McCormick County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.7%
- Total occupied households: 3,957
- Median household income: $43,633
- Median monthly housing cost: $633
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#34. Kershaw County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.8%
- Total occupied households: 24,980
- Median household income: $51,479
- Median monthly housing cost: $749
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#33. Abbeville County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.8%
- Total occupied households: 9,660
- Median household income: $38,741
- Median monthly housing cost: $577
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#32. Spartanburg County
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#31. Aiken County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.2%
- Total occupied households: 67,598
- Median household income: $51,399
- Median monthly housing cost: $774
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#30. Lexington County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.0%
- Total occupied households: 113,104
- Median household income: $61,173
- Median monthly housing cost: $931
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#29. Newberry County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.6%
- Total occupied households: 14,810
- Median household income: $44,226
- Median monthly housing cost: $678
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#28. Lee County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.6%
- Total occupied households: 6,423
- Median household income: $32,371
- Median monthly housing cost: $497
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#27. Fairfield County
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#26. Pickens County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.8%
- Total occupied households: 47,934
- Median household income: $49,573
- Median monthly housing cost: $763
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#25. Greenville County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.7%
- Total occupied households: 192,975
- Median household income: $60,351
- Median monthly housing cost: $938
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#24. Orangeburg County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.8%
- Total occupied households: 33,060
- Median household income: $37,955
- Median monthly housing cost: $596
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#23. York County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.0%
- Total occupied households: 101,211
- Median household income: $65,361
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,028
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#22. Laurens County
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#21. Darlington County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.2%
- Total occupied households: 26,484
- Median household income: $38,448
- Median monthly housing cost: $615
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#20. Florence County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.1%
- Total occupied households: 52,188
- Median household income: $47,058
- Median monthly housing cost: $759
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#19. Marlboro County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.6%
- Total occupied households: 9,613
- Median household income: $33,586
- Median monthly housing cost: $549
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#18. Colleton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.9%
- Total occupied households: 15,075
- Median household income: $36,324
- Median monthly housing cost: $597
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#17. Sumter County
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#16. Greenwood County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.3%
- Total occupied households: 27,612
- Median household income: $42,336
- Median monthly housing cost: $698
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#15. Barnwell County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.2%
- Total occupied households: 8,360
- Median household income: $35,803
- Median monthly housing cost: $595
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#14. Georgetown County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.3%
- Total occupied households: 25,498
- Median household income: $48,456
- Median monthly housing cost: $812
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#13. Williamsburg County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.7%
- Total occupied households: 12,686
- Median household income: $32,485
- Median monthly housing cost: $549
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#12. Cherokee County
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#11. Berkeley County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.6%
- Total occupied households: 76,881
- Median household income: $63,309
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,094
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#10. Beaufort County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.5%
- Total occupied households: 71,477
- Median household income: $68,377
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,191
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#9. Horry County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.3%
- Total occupied households: 131,143
- Median household income: $50,704
- Median monthly housing cost: $892
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#8. Bamberg County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.9%
- Total occupied households: 5,334
- Median household income: $31,422
- Median monthly housing cost: $566
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#6. Jasper County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.5%
- Total occupied households: 10,269
- Median household income: $45,601
- Median monthly housing cost: $836
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#5. Dorchester County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.3%
- Total occupied households: 55,351
- Median household income: $63,080
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,158
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#4. Richland County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.6%
- Total occupied households: 151,853
- Median household income: $54,767
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,009
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#3. Dillon County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.8%
- Total occupied households: 11,029
- Median household income: $30,812
- Median monthly housing cost: $569
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#2. Allendale County
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#1. Charleston County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 41.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 33.5%
- Total occupied households: 159,195
- Median household income: $64,022
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,248