From Charleston’s colorful and well-preserved architecture, and beautiful coastline filled with iconic South Carolina beach towns, to lush landscapes, Southern cuisine, and a perfect blend of city life and miles of coastline, South Carolina is an amazing state. If you’ve been considering moving to South Carolina or are hoping to relocate to a new city, you also probably have a budget you’d like to stay under as you look for a place to live. For example, the median home sale price in South Carolina is $380,200 as of August.
If that number is out of your budget, don’t worry. We’ve got options to help you find a home. Redfin has collected 4 of the most affordable places to live in South Carolina. And the best part is that they all have a median home sale price under $380,200. So let’s find out which cities made the list.
#1: Columbia
Median home price: $255,000
Average sale price per square foot: $146
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,124
Median household income: $47,416
Columbia, SC homes for sale
Columbia, SC apartments for rent
With a median home sale price of $255,000, Columbia comes in at number one on our list of most affordable places to live in South Carolina. Columbia is home to roughly 136,600 residents. Living in Columbia, you can visit the historic South Carolina State House, explore Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, boat, fish, or relax at Lake Murray, and see the art at the Columbia Museum of Art.
#2: Rock Hill
Median home price: $315,000
Average sale price per square foot: $204
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,552
Median household income: $51,874
Nearest major metro: Charlotte, NC (25 miles)
Rock Hill, SC homes for sale
Rock Hill, SC apartments for rent
South Carolina’s second most affordable city to live in is Rock Hill. When living in this city of 74,400 people, you can visit some of the green spaces like Glencairn Garden, Winthrop Lake, and Cherry Park, check out Rock Hill Downtown Historic District, and discover the exhibits at the Museum of York County.
#3: North Charleston
Median home price: $337,000
Average sale price per square foot: $193
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,356
Median household income: $47,201
Nearest major metro: Charleston (10 miles)
North Charleston, SC homes for sale
North Charleston, SC apartments for rent
Next is the city of North Charleston, which has about 114,900 residents. The median home sale price is $337,000 which is about $40K less than the median home sale price in South Carolina. If you find yourself moving here, make sure to explore the woodlands and wetlands at North Charleston Wannamaker County Park, check out the Firefly Distillery, or grab a meal at one of the local restaurants.
#4: Summerville
Median home price: $355,000
Average sale price per square foot: $194
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,520
Median household income: $51,874
Nearest major metro: Charleston (26 miles)
Summerville, SC homes for sale
Summerville, SC apartments for rent
Only slightly more expensive than North Charleston is the city of Summerville, the final city to make our list of affordable places to live in South Carolina. With roughly 50,900 residents in Summerville, make sure to hike along the Sawmill Branch Trail, explore downtown Summerville, and tour the Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site.
Methodology: All cities must have over 50,000 residents per the US Census and have a median home sale price under the average median home sale price in South Carolina. Median home sale price and median sale price per square foot from the Redfin Data Center during August 2023. Average rental data from Rent.com August 2023. Population and median household income data sourced from the United States Census Bureau.
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