Housing decision brief
Abbeville County, SC Housing Market
Abbeville County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
19th lowest home value out of 46 South Carolina counties with data | 1st lowest rent out of 46
Median home value
$147,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$634/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$596/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$38/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$147,200 median home value is 7% below South Carolina county median
Lower rent
$634/mo is 28% below South Carolina county median
Rent burden below pressure line
26.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $38/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$52,112 median income is 7% below South Carolina county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 37.7 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Abbeville County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $147,200 | $158,600 | $281,900 | 7% favorable7% below South Carolina county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $634 | $878 | $1,163 | 28% favorable28% below South Carolina county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $596 | $694 | $1,672 | 14% favorable14% below South Carolina county median |
Median household income | $52,112 | $55,754 | $74,755 | 7% pressure7% below South Carolina county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.49% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 51% favorable51% below South Carolina county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 26.00% | 29.00% | N/A | 10% favorable26.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$26,752
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$26,569
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Abbeville County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $634/month representing approximately 14.6% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 26.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Abbeville County pay $634/month on average, compared to $596/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 6%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $25,360/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $25,543/year. With a median household income of $52,112, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Abbeville County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within South Carolina, Abbeville County is less affordable than Marlboro County by roughly 8% ($634/mo vs $686/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| McCormick County, SC | $159,000 | $666/mo | Same-state comparison near $159,000 home value and $666/mo rent. |
| Clarendon County, SC | $147,300 | $728/mo | Same-state comparison near $147,300 home value and $728/mo rent. |
| Clay County, AL | $144,700 | $624/mo | Out-of-state peer near $144,700 home value and $624/mo rent. |
| Cherokee County, SC | $135,200 | $813/mo | Same-state comparison near $135,200 home value and $813/mo rent. |
| Laurens County, SC | $153,500 | $847/mo | Same-state comparison near $153,500 home value and $847/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Abbeville County
Is Abbeville County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Abbeville County?
How much income do you need for housing in Abbeville County?
What should I double-check before moving to Abbeville County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.