How much house can I afford on $70,000 in South Carolina?
About $261,000 with 20% down ($206,000 with an FHA loan), using South Carolina's 0.45% property tax rate.
That is $43,140 less than the typical South Carolina home ($304,319), so on $70,000 you'd look at cheaper areas or a smaller home. The payment of $1,633 covers $1,406 principal and interest, $97 property tax and $131 insurance.
Counties in South Carolina you can afford on $70,000
29 of 46 counties have a typical home value at or below $261,000. The 25 priciest of them:
| County | Typical home | 1-yr change | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Saluda County | $207,445 | +2.9% | 0.51% |
| Florence County | $204,585 | +4.0% | 0.42% |
| Sumter County | $203,810 | +2.0% | 0.53% |
| Fairfield County | $194,708 | +3.8% | 0.51% |
| Cherokee County | $189,612 | -2.5% | 0.43% |
| Clarendon County | $187,053 | -3.9% | 0.56% |
| Chesterfield County | $185,129 | +4.6% | 0.42% |
| Greenwood County | $174,626 | +0.2% | 0.53% |
| Barnwell County | $172,893 | +0.3% | 0.73% |
| Darlington County | $170,906 | +10.4% | 0.41% |
| Orangeburg County | $162,517 | +4.7% | 0.65% |
| Hampton County | $159,212 | -0.4% | 0.8% |
| Dillon County | $156,722 | +9.6% | 0.53% |
| Marion County | $144,024 | -2.0% | 0.47% |
| Lee County | $131,864 | -7.0% | 0.57% |
| Union County | $131,794 | +6.7% | 0.56% |
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 $70,000 in South Carolina?
About $261,000 with 20% down at 7.11%, keeping the payment (with South Carolina's 0.45% property tax and insurance) under $1,633 a month.
Is $70,000 enough to buy a house in South Carolina?
Not the typical home: the typical South Carolina home is worth $304,319 (Zillow, September 2026) and $70,000 supports about $261,000. 29 of 46 counties are within budget.