How much house can I afford on $160,000 in South Carolina?
About $597,000 with 20% down ($471,000 with an FHA loan), using South Carolina's 0.45% property tax rate.
That is $292,662 more than the typical South Carolina home ($304,319), so a $160,000 salary can buy a typical home here. The payment of $3,733 covers $3,213 principal and interest, $222 property tax and $298 insurance.
Counties in South Carolina you can afford on $160,000
45 of 46 counties have a typical home value at or below $597,000. The 25 priciest of them:
| County | Typical home | 1-yr change | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaufort County | $552,182 | +1.6% | 0.48% |
| Jasper County | $403,389 | -3.9% | 0.57% |
| Georgetown County | $387,236 | +0.1% | 0.41% |
| York County | $383,056 | -1.5% | 0.48% |
| Lancaster County | $378,849 | -2.0% | 0.5% |
| Berkeley County | $378,292 | -0.0% | 0.45% |
| Dorchester County | $348,212 | -0.9% | 0.56% |
| Greenville County | $336,744 | +1.6% | 0.51% |
| Horry County | $319,809 | +0.4% | 0.33% |
| McCormick County | $316,274 | +4.2% | 0.56% |
| Pickens County | $307,321 | +2.5% | 0.37% |
| Oconee County | $287,580 | +2.3% | 0.38% |
| Anderson County | $287,369 | +1.2% | 0.45% |
| Edgefield County | $277,600 | +1.5% | 0.43% |
| Spartanburg County | $274,874 | +1.1% | 0.55% |
| Lexington County | $271,722 | +1.6% | 0.49% |
| Kershaw County | $259,885 | +3.3% | 0.47% |
| Colleton County | $251,954 | +0.3% | 0.55% |
| Aiken County | $243,437 | +3.2% | 0.41% |
| Richland County | $241,261 | +0.8% | 0.67% |
| Newberry County | $222,525 | +6.2% | 0.67% |
| Laurens County | $214,803 | -1.3% | 0.41% |
| Chester County | $211,424 | -0.4% | 0.56% |
| Abbeville County | $209,757 | +4.6% | 0.44% |
| Calhoun County | $209,607 | +4.9% | 0.41% |
Affordable metro areas
Assumes a 30-year fixed loan at 7.11%, property tax of 0.45% of the home value a year, homeowners insurance of 0.6% a year, PMI of 0.5% of the loan a year when the down payment is under 20%, and FHA mortgage insurance of 0.55% a year plus a 1.75% upfront premium added to the loan. Your rate, taxes and insurance will differ.
Other salaries in South Carolina
Frequently asked questions
How much house can I afford on $160,000 in South Carolina?
About $597,000 with 20% down at 7.11%, keeping the payment (with South Carolina's 0.45% property tax and insurance) under $3,733 a month.
Is $160,000 enough to buy a house in South Carolina?
Yes: the typical South Carolina home is worth $304,319 (Zillow, September 2026) and $160,000 supports about $597,000. 45 of 46 counties are within budget.