Average Rent in Charleston, SC (2026)

Typical asking rent in Charleston is $2,304. Across the 7 ZIP codes with data it runs from $1,752 to $3,776, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of September 2026.

Median rent
$2,304
Average rent
$2,460
Lowest ZIP
$1,752
Highest ZIP
$3,776

Rent by ZIP code in Charleston

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
29401Charleston County$3,776+64%
29403Charleston County$2,751+19%
29412Charleston County$2,543+10%
29455Charleston County$2,3040%
29492Berkeley County$2,206-4%
29414Charleston County$1,885-18%
29407Charleston County$1,752-24%

Rent by bedroom count in Charleston

Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Charleston County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for. Charleston County uses Small Area FMRs, and the two bedroom figure runs from $1,860 to $2,400 depending on the Charleston ZIP code.

Unit sizeFY2027 Fair Market RentChange from FY2026
Studio$1,661+6.7%
1 bedroom$1,731+6.2%
2 bedroom$1,884+5.4%
3 bedroom$2,336+5.1%
4 bedroom$2,687+4.9%

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.

Is rent going up or down in Charleston?

Typical rent across Charleston County is $2,150 as of September 2026. That is up 4.7% from a year earlier and up 33.3% over five years.

YearTypical rent, Charleston CountyChange
2021$1,677+18.1%
2022$1,888+12.6%
2023$1,993+5.6%
2024$2,047+2.7%
2025$2,071+1.2%
2026 (through September)$2,150+3.8%

Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.

Charleston rent questions

What is the average rent in Charleston, SC?
Typical asking rent in Charleston is $2,304 a month as of September 2026, across 7 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,752 to $3,776.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Charleston?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Charleston County is $1,884 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,731 and a three bedroom is $2,336. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Charleston?
Rent is rising. Typical rent in Charleston County is $2,150 as of September 2026, up 4.7% from a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Charleston?
ZIP 29407 has the lowest typical asking rent in Charleston at $1,752 a month, compared with $2,304 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Charleston?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Charleston rent of $2,304, that is about $6,912 a month, or $82,944 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.

How to use these numbers

These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.

If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Charleston sits in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area.

Other South Carolina cities

Would a rental in Charleston cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Charleston median rent of $2,304 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.