Section 8 Rent Limits in South Carolina for FY2027: Fair Market Rent for Every County
There is no single Section 8 rent limit for South Carolina. HUD publishes one Fair Market Rent per county, 46 of them for FY2027, and the 2-bedroom figure stretches from $885 (Abbeville County) to $2,010 (Beaufort County). The median county is $1,093. Your housing authority's payment standard, the number that actually caps your lease, is set between 90% and 110% of the figure for your county.
Year over year, 17 of the 46 counties with figures in both years went up and 29 went down. Greenville County had the biggest jump, $1,339 to $1,507 (+12.5%). McCormick County took the biggest cut, $956 to $885 (-7.4%). Four metros in South Carolina are on HUD's mandatory Small Area FMR list (Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC; Charleston-North Charleston, SC; Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC; Sumter, SC), where the limit is set ZIP code by ZIP code instead of by county; the county figure there is only an average.
How the number becomes your rent limit. The FMR is HUD's estimate of the 40th-percentile gross rent (rent plus utilities) for a modest unit in the area. Your housing authority publishes a payment standard for each bedroom size, between 90% and 110% of the FMR. You pay roughly 30% of adjusted monthly income; the voucher covers the rest up to the payment standard. If the unit's gross rent is above the standard, you pay the difference, but a new lease cannot leave your share above 40% of income.
FY2027 Fair Market Rents by Metro Area in South Carolina
HUD groups counties into FMR areas; a metro's figure applies to every county inside it. "ZIP-level" marks mandatory Small Area FMR metros.
| FMR area | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2 BR vs FY2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson, SC | $972 | $1,012 | $1,102 | $1,444 | $1,704 | -6.1% |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC (ZIP-level) | $997 | $1,202 | $1,329 | $1,672 | $2,035 | +5.4% |
| Beaufort County, SC | $1,772 | $1,844 | $2,010 | $2,395 | $2,880 | +10.7% |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC (ZIP-level) | $1,661 | $1,731 | $1,884 | $2,336 | $2,687 | +5.4% |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (ZIP-level) | $1,574 | $1,640 | $1,785 | $2,179 | $2,773 | +5.9% |
| Chester County, SC | $844 | $850 | $1,103 | $1,515 | $1,593 | +4.5% |
| Columbia, SC | $992 | $1,126 | $1,226 | $1,546 | $1,754 | -3.9% |
| Darlington County, SC | $868 | $874 | $1,093 | $1,302 | $1,523 | -0.5% |
| Florence, SC | $982 | $987 | $1,121 | $1,444 | $1,545 | +0.4% |
| Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC | $1,329 | $1,384 | $1,507 | $1,801 | $2,124 | +12.5% |
| Jasper County, SC | $1,392 | $1,450 | $1,579 | $1,896 | $2,075 | +2.4% |
| Kershaw County, SC | $841 | $843 | $954 | $1,156 | $1,465 | -5.5% |
| Lancaster County, SC | $943 | $982 | $1,069 | $1,466 | $1,787 | +5.7% |
| Laurens County, SC | $875 | $924 | $1,119 | $1,333 | $1,571 | -1.2% |
| Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC | $1,155 | $1,258 | $1,504 | $1,823 | $1,981 | +2.7% |
| Spartanburg, SC | $1,055 | $1,099 | $1,196 | $1,457 | $1,722 | +0.8% |
| Sumter, SC (ZIP-level) | $932 | $1,023 | $1,338 | $1,594 | $2,060 | +4.9% |
| Union County, SC | $762 | $767 | $1,003 | $1,286 | $1,318 | -3.4% |
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FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Every County in South Carolina
All 46 counties, alphabetical. Studio figures are in the metro table above.
| County | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2 BR vs FY2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbeville County | $741 | $885 | $1,195 | $1,200 | -1.9% |
| Aiken County | $1,202 | $1,329 | $1,672 | $2,035 | +5.4% |
| Allendale County | $741 | $885 | $1,095 | $1,194 | -1.9% |
| Anderson County | $1,012 | $1,102 | $1,444 | $1,704 | -6.1% |
| Bamberg County | $680 | $889 | $1,099 | $1,168 | -1.4% |
| Barnwell County | $682 | $892 | $1,063 | $1,172 | -4.1% |
| Beaufort County | $1,844 | $2,010 | $2,395 | $2,880 | +10.7% |
| Berkeley County | $1,731 | $1,884 | $2,336 | $2,687 | +5.4% |
| Calhoun County | $1,126 | $1,226 | $1,546 | $1,754 | -3.9% |
| Charleston County | $1,731 | $1,884 | $2,336 | $2,687 | +5.4% |
| Cherokee County | $813 | $885 | $1,106 | $1,371 | -1.9% |
| Chester County | $850 | $1,103 | $1,515 | $1,593 | +4.5% |
| Chesterfield County | $677 | $885 | $1,153 | $1,217 | -1.9% |
| Clarendon County | $677 | $885 | $1,105 | $1,314 | -1.9% |
| Colleton County | $698 | $913 | $1,088 | $1,323 | +1.2% |
| Darlington County | $874 | $1,093 | $1,302 | $1,523 | -0.5% |
| Dillon County | $813 | $885 | $1,225 | $1,479 | -1.9% |
| Dorchester County | $1,731 | $1,884 | $2,336 | $2,687 | +5.4% |
| Edgefield County | $1,202 | $1,329 | $1,672 | $2,035 | +5.4% |
| Fairfield County | $1,126 | $1,226 | $1,546 | $1,754 | -3.9% |
| Florence County | $987 | $1,121 | $1,444 | $1,545 | +0.4% |
| Georgetown County | $885 | $1,158 | $1,380 | $1,936 | -3.8% |
| Greenville County | $1,384 | $1,507 | $1,801 | $2,124 | +12.5% |
| Greenwood County | $747 | $885 | $1,106 | $1,285 | -5.2% |
| Hampton County | $677 | $885 | $1,162 | $1,270 | -1.9% |
| Horry County | $1,258 | $1,504 | $1,823 | $1,981 | +2.7% |
| Jasper County | $1,450 | $1,579 | $1,896 | $2,075 | +2.4% |
| Kershaw County | $843 | $954 | $1,156 | $1,465 | -5.5% |
| Lancaster County | $982 | $1,069 | $1,466 | $1,787 | +5.7% |
| Laurens County | $924 | $1,119 | $1,333 | $1,571 | -1.2% |
| Lee County | $677 | $885 | $1,054 | $1,163 | -1.9% |
| Lexington County | $1,126 | $1,226 | $1,546 | $1,754 | -3.9% |
| Marion County | $813 | $885 | $1,144 | $1,282 | -1.9% |
| Marlboro County | $677 | $885 | $1,054 | $1,479 | -1.9% |
| McCormick County | $677 | $885 | $1,189 | $1,194 | -7.4% |
| Newberry County | $726 | $933 | $1,112 | $1,311 | -6.1% |
| Oconee County | $683 | $894 | $1,090 | $1,204 | -5.0% |
| Orangeburg County | $746 | $906 | $1,080 | $1,191 | -0.4% |
| Pickens County | $1,384 | $1,507 | $1,801 | $2,124 | +12.5% |
| Richland County | $1,126 | $1,226 | $1,546 | $1,754 | -3.9% |
| Saluda County | $1,126 | $1,226 | $1,546 | $1,754 | -3.9% |
| Spartanburg County | $1,099 | $1,196 | $1,457 | $1,722 | +0.8% |
| Sumter County | $1,023 | $1,338 | $1,594 | $2,060 | +4.9% |
| Union County | $767 | $1,003 | $1,286 | $1,318 | -3.4% |
| Williamsburg County | $677 | $885 | $1,106 | $1,352 | -1.9% |
| York County | $1,640 | $1,785 | $2,179 | $2,773 | +5.9% |
Where the Limit Moved Most From FY2026 to FY2027
Biggest increases (2-bedroom):
| County | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville County | $1,339 | $1,507 | +12.5% |
| Pickens County | $1,339 | $1,507 | +12.5% |
| Beaufort County | $1,816 | $2,010 | +10.7% |
| York County | $1,686 | $1,785 | +5.9% |
| Lancaster County | $1,011 | $1,069 | +5.7% |
Biggest cuts (2-bedroom):
| County | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| McCormick County | $956 | $885 | -7.4% |
| Newberry County | $994 | $933 | -6.1% |
| Anderson County | $1,173 | $1,102 | -6.1% |
| Kershaw County | $1,009 | $954 | -5.5% |
| Greenwood County | $934 | $885 | -5.2% |
HUD caps a one-year decrease at 10%, so a county showing exactly -10.0% hit the floor. A lower FMR does not change an existing lease; it narrows the band for new leases and rent increases, and a reduced payment standard reaches a family already housed only at its second annual reexamination after the change.
Where a Voucher Beats the Market in South Carolina
Comparing HUD's 2-bedroom limit to Zillow's observed rent in the same ZIP code shows where a voucher actually stretches. No South Carolina metro with enough data has a positive median: Charleston-North Charleston comes closest, with the typical ZIP's limit -7.1% against market rent and 36% of its ZIPs above the going rent; Spartanburg is the hardest at -23.1%. "Median premium" is the typical ZIP's rent limit minus market rent, as a percent of market rent.
| Metro | ZIPs with data | Median premium | ZIPs above market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 22 | -7.1% | 36% |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | 24 | -14.2% | 8% |
| Columbia, SC | 25 | -22.7% | 4% |
| Spartanburg, SC | 15 | -23.1% | 0% |
Even where the median is negative, the ZIPs above market are where voucher tenants and landlords match fastest. The national ranking is in our voucher-vs-market analysis.
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The Largest Housing Authorities in South Carolina
Which authority issued your voucher decides which payment standard applies. The biggest programs in the state:
- Housing Authority of the City of Columbia (Columbia), about 4,700 vouchers, (803) 254-3886
- the Greenville Housing Authority (Greenville), about 3,400 vouchers, (864) 467-4250
- Spartanburg Housing (Spartanburg), about 2,700 vouchers, (864) 598-6000
- Housing Authority of N Charleston (North Charleston), about 2,300 vouchers, (843) 747-1793
- Sc State Housing Authority (Columbia), about 2,200 vouchers, (803) 896-8888
- Housing Authority of the City of Charleston (Charleston), about 1,800 vouchers, (843) 720-3970
- Sc Regional Housing Authority No 1 (Laurens), about 1,700 vouchers, (864) 984-0578
- Charleston Co Housing and Redevelopment Authority (Charleston), about 1,100 vouchers, (843) 628-0728
Can a Landlord Refuse a Voucher in South Carolina?
Yes, in most of the state. South Carolina has no statewide source-of-income protection, so a landlord can decline a voucher unless a local ordinance says otherwise. Refusal based on race, disability, familial status, or another federally protected trait is still illegal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Section 8 pay in South Carolina? It depends on the county. HUD's FY2027 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent runs from $885 in Abbeville County to $2,010 in Beaufort County, with a median county of $1,093. Your housing authority's payment standard is 90% to 110% of the figure for your county, and the voucher pays that standard minus about 30% of your adjusted income.
Which South Carolina county has the highest Section 8 rent limit? Beaufort County, at $2,010 for a 2-bedroom ($2,395 for a 3-bedroom) in FY2027. The lowest is Abbeville County at $885.
Did Section 8 rent limits go up in South Carolina for FY2027? Mostly no: the 2-bedroom figure rose in 17 counties, fell in 29, and held in 0. The biggest increase was Greenville County (+12.5%). The biggest cut was McCormick County (-7.4%).
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in South Carolina? Yes, in most of the state. South Carolina has no statewide source-of-income protection, so a landlord can decline a voucher unless a local ordinance says otherwise. Refusal based on race, disability, familial status, or another federally protected trait is still illegal.
Where is my housing authority's actual payment standard? On the authority's website, usually a one-page PDF updated each fall, or by calling its Housing Choice Voucher office. The largest South Carolina authorities are listed above with phone numbers.
See also our South Carolina Section 8 overview; metro guides for Greenville, Columbia, Charleston; the national 2-bedroom table for the 40 largest metros; HUD's FY2027 FMR dataset.
Holding a voucher in South Carolina? Browse voucher-friendly listings by ZIP code and bedroom size.
South Carolina landlord? List your property free. The table above is what a voucher tenant's authority can pay.
VoucherMatch Editorial Team
Every rule, date and dollar amount in this article is checked against the agency document it comes from, and the sources are listed above. How VoucherMatch articles are researched and corrected
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