How many renters live in Lancaster County, South Carolina?
The County of Lancaster County has 104,577 people living in 40,910 households.
There are 11,943 renters living in 5,504 renter households in this County. Renters make up 11.42 percent of the population living in Lancaster County.
What is the rental market like in Lancaster County, South Carolina?
There are an estimated 41,410 housing units in the Lancaster County area. Of these, 7,543 units are rental homes, making up 18 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Lancaster County, South Carolina, there are 1 rental units.
What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Lancaster County?
The rental vacancy rate in Lancaster County is 5 percent. This is a lower than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are low there are fewer available units. Rents tend to be higher as more people compete for scarce housing.
How many rental units are in Lancaster County for each bedroom size?
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Lancaster County
| Studio | One-Bedroom | Two-Bedroom | Three-Bedroom | Four+ Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 114 | 643 | 3,120 | 2,558 | 467 |
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Lancaster County
A large number of apartments in Lancaster County have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.
How many renter households in Lancaster County are overburdened by housing costs?
Among renter households in this market, 43 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 17 percent of households are extremely rent overburdened. When renters pay too much for their housing, it leaves little money for other necessities like food, clothes, or medicine.
The federal government says that renters are cost-burdened if they pay more than a third of their monthly income for rent and utilities.
How Much Is Rent in Lancaster County
Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $785 to $1,518. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.
| Bed Size | 2024 Fair Market Rents |
| Studio | $785 |
| One BR | $790 |
| Two BR | $1,026 |
| Three BR | $1,360 |
| Four BR | $1,518 |
2024 Fair Market Rents in Lancaster County, South Carolina
How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Lancaster County?
Renters with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher must select a home that is at or below the area’s Fair Market Rent. Markets with a large share of units above FMR tend to have longer search times to find a qualified unit, while those with a large share of units below FMR tend to have more choices and shorter search times. The share below FMR can vary by size of unit, as shown in the table below.
These are the approximate number of units renting below the FMR in this market:
| Unit Size | Count of Units Below FMR | Percentage of Total Units Below FMR |
| Studio | 32 | 28 percent |
| One BR | 291 | 45 percent |
| Two BR | 2,236 | 72 percent |
Rental Units Below FMR in Lancaster County, South Carolina
How many affordable rental units are in Lancaster County?
There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Lancaster County, South Carolina including the following:
| Federal Program | Unit Count |
| Low Income Housing Tax Credit | 720 |
| Public Housing | 172 |
| Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance | 230 |
| Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities | 16 |
| USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing | 304 |
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Lancaster County, South Carolina
Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.
Income Based Apartments in Lancaster County, South Carolina
Lancaster County features 855 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Lancaster County, South Carolina
There are 269 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Lancaster County.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Lancaster County, South Carolina
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Lancaster County landlords $500 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $300 towards rent in Lancaster County.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Lancaster County, South Carolina for a two-bedroom apartment is between $923 and $1,129.
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
