Support Us Button Widget

Can you afford to rent in Greenville, SC?

Downtown Greenville | Photo by @james_simpson_photography

Downtown Greenville | Photo by @james_simpson_photography

Table of Contents

Hey, GVL. 👋 The National Low Income Housing Coalition just released a new study that reports the gap between renters’ wages + the cost of rental housing across the US. 🏠 Which got us thinking — how much does it cost, on average, to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Greenville County? Let’s break it down, by the numbers.

💰 $842. The Fair Market Rental (FMR) price (including utilities) for a two-bedroom apartment in Greenville County. In SC, the FMR for the same-sized apartment is $900. Fair Market Rent is established by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is the rent amount, including utilities (excluding telephone), to rent privately owned, existing, decent, safe, and sanitary rental housing of modest (non-luxury) nature with suitable amenities.

💰 89. The number of hours you’d have to work per week on minimum wage (in SC this is $7.25) to afford a two-bedroom apartment in Greenville County. A renter that makes a mean wage (estimated to be $14.88 in Greenville County) would need to work 44 hours a week to afford the same-sized apartment.

💰 2.2. The number of full-time jobsat minimum wage – it takes to afford a two-bedroom apartment (FMR) in Greenville County.

💰 $16.19. The hourly wage a Greenville resident would have to make to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the county. That’s a yearly income of $33,680.

💰 33%. The percent of Greenville’s population currently renting. Out of 189,334 households in the county, 63,421 rent.

💰 31. South Carolina currently ranks as the 31st most expensive state for renters in the country. Hawaii is the most expensive + Arkansas is the least expensive.

For more city data, state data, and to compare with other metropolitan areas, go here and click around. It’s really fun to put our numbers beside Hawaii’s. 💸

Poll

More from GVLtoday
Including gifts for significant others, retirees, holiday parties, young people, and gifts that ship fast.
We went to the experts to find out what pairs best with sweet, gummy, salty, and everything in between.
Born in Greenville and still made in Mauldin, Duke’s Mayonnaise now ranks No. 2 in the US, proving its thick, tangy Southern recipe — and Greenville roots — are here to stay, even as its following and renown continue to grow.
The sun may be setting early, but Greenville still has plenty to do.
The City of Greenville is drafting a long-term plan to enhance traffic flow, reduce congestion, improve safety, and promote alternative modes of transportation.
New SC license plates feature the Moultrie Flag and the phrase “Where the Revolutionary War Was Won.”
Submit your Halloween photos for a chance to be featured in GVLtoday.
Exercise your right to vote for city leadership + bookmark our guide to help you prepare to head to the polls for the Municipal Election in Greenville on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Show some love to your fave businesses in Greenville.
At the Greenville Chamber’s Greenville Greats panel, Artisphere, euphoria, and the City of Greenville talked about the “secret sauce” that makes these major events happen.