FY2027 Fair Market Rent · South Carolina
Charleston County Fair Market Rent & Income Limits
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Charleston County, SC is $1,884 a month, up 5.4% from FY2026. The area median family income is $117,500, and a family of four counts as low income up to $94,000 a year.
Fair Market Rent by unit size
FY2027 FY2026
Fair Market Rents are gross rents: rent plus the cost of all utilities except phone, cable and internet.
Check your household
Enter your household size and total yearly income before taxes to see which HUD income category it falls in for Charleston County, SC.
Low income (80% limit)
A household of 4 earning $92,000 is under the 80% limit of $94,000 for this area. At 30% of income it could pay about $2,300 a month for rent and utilities.
This is a quick comparison with HUD's published limits, not an eligibility decision. Programs count income in their own ways and many have waiting lists; the local housing agency or property decides.
Income limits in Charleston County
HUD's FY2026 income limits for Charleston-North Charleston, SC are based on a median family income of $117,500. Programs such as Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing and HOME use the 30%, 50% and 80% columns; Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties use the 50% and 60% Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits.
| People | Extremely low30% / poverty | Very low50% | 60% (LIHTC)MTSP | Low income80% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $24,700 | $41,150 | $49,380 | $65,800 |
| 2 | $28,200 | $47,000 | $56,400 | $75,200 |
| 3 | $31,750 | $52,900 | $63,480 | $84,600 |
| 4 | $35,250 | $58,750 | $70,500 | $94,000 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $63,450 | $76,140 | $101,550 |
| 6 | $44,360 | $68,150 | $81,780 | $109,050 |
| 7 | $50,040 | $72,850 | $87,420 | $116,600 |
| 8 | $55,720 | $77,550 | $93,060 | $124,100 |
Rent history
Since FY2017 the two-bedroom FMR here has gone from $973 to $1,884, up 93.6% over ten years. HUD has published a two-bedroom FMR for this area since FY1983, when it was $361.
What it takes to afford the rent
To keep a two-bedroom rent of $1,884 at no more than 30% of income, the usual affordability rule, a household needs about $75,400 a year. That is 64% of the area median family income of $117,500, so a typical family can afford it with room to spare.
| Unit | FY2027 | FY2026 | FY2025 | Income to affordat 30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,661 | $1,557 | $1,583 | $66,400 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,731 | $1,630 | $1,644 | $69,200 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,884 | $1,787 | $1,820 | $75,400 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,336 | $2,222 | $2,255 | $93,400 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,687 | $2,562 | $2,653 | $107,500 |
How Charleston County compares
Charleston County is part of the Charleston-North Charleston, SC HUD Metro FMR Area, together with Berkeley County and Dorchester County. HUD publishes one Fair Market Rent and one set of income limits for the whole area, so the numbers on this page apply in every county of it.
Charleston County has the 3rd highest two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of the 46 counties in South Carolina; the population-weighted average across South Carolina is $1,391 and the nationwide average is $1,751.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code
HUD also publishes Small Area Fair Market Rents for each ZIP code. In Charleston County the two-bedroom figure ranges from $1,220 to $2,830 across 36 ZIP codes, against the area-wide $1,884. Charleston-North Charleston, SC is one of HUD's mandatory Small Area FMR areas (designated 2023), so housing agencies there must set voucher payment standards from these ZIP-code rents.
| ZIP | Place | 2 BR SAFMR | 110% payment std. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29429 | Awendaw | $2,830 | $3,113 |
| 29451 | Isle Of Palms | $2,830 | $3,113 |
| 29466 | Mount Pleasant | $2,770 | $3,047 |
| 29439 | Folly Beach | $2,500 | $2,750 |
| 29482 | Sullivans Island | $2,460 | $2,706 |
| 29464 | Mount Pleasant | $2,430 | $2,673 |
| 29401 | Charleston | $2,400 | $2,640 |
| 29424 | Charleston | $2,320 | $2,552 |
| 29404 | Charleston Afb | $2,260 | $2,486 |
| 29403 | Charleston | $2,190 | $2,409 |
| 29409 | Charleston | $2,190 | $2,409 |
| 29412 | Charleston | $2,190 | $2,409 |
| 29414 | Charleston | $2,150 | $2,365 |
| 29458 | Mc Clellanville | $1,920 | $2,112 |
| 29402 | Charleston | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 29407 | Charleston | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 29413 | Charleston | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 29415 | North Charleston | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 29416 | Charleston | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 29417 | Charleston | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 29419 | North Charleston | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 29422 | Charleston | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 29423 | Charleston | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 29425 | Charleston | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 29457 | Johns Island | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 29465 | Mount Pleasant | $1,910 | $2,101 |
| 29456 | Ladson | $1,890 | $2,079 |
| 29455 | Johns Island | $1,860 | $2,046 |
| 29406 | Charleston | $1,750 | $1,925 |
| 29426 | Adams Run | $1,680 | $1,848 |
| 29487 | Wadmalaw Island | $1,670 | $1,837 |
| 29418 | North Charleston | $1,620 | $1,782 |
| 29405 | North Charleston | $1,580 | $1,738 |
| 29449 | Hollywood | $1,520 | $1,672 |
| 29438 | Edisto Island | $1,240 | $1,364 |
| 29470 | Ravenel | $1,220 | $1,342 |
Questions
What is the Fair Market Rent in Charleston County, SC for 2027?
For FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027) HUD's Fair Market Rents in Charleston County, SC are $1,661 for a studio, $1,731 for one bedroom, $1,884 for two bedrooms, $2,336 for three and $2,687 for four bedrooms, per month including utilities.
What is the area median income in Charleston County, SC?
HUD's FY2026 median family income for the area is $117,500, up 6.0% from $110,900 in FY2025.
What is 80% of AMI in Charleston County, SC for a family of 4?
The FY2026 low-income limit (80%) for a household of four is $94,000 a year. The very low-income limit (50%) is $58,750 and the extremely low-income limit is $35,250.
What is the 60% AMI limit for tax credit housing in Charleston County, SC?
Under HUD's FY2026 Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits, the 60% limit is $49,380 for one person and $70,500 for four.
Is the Fair Market Rent the same as the Section 8 payment standard?
No. Housing agencies set their payment standard between 90% and 110% of the FMR (for a two-bedroom here: $1,696 to $2,072), and can ask HUD for exceptions. Check the payment standard with your local housing agency.