States › South Carolina › Berea

Is Berea, SC expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 25 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,13235% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$53,741about $4,478/month · 38% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$204,70038% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 80% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.8 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $45,280 a year. That is $22 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other South Carolina cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of South Carolina. It is number 28 of 101 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Berea
$1,132
Ladson
$2,215
Lake Wylie
$1,799
Seven Oaks
$1,369
Red Hill
$1,022
West Columbia
$1,667
Clemson
$1,186

How much do households earn in Berea?

Under $25k
20.0%
$25k–50k
30.7%
$50k–100k
29.1%
$100k–150k
11.3%
$150k+
2.7%

Share of households by yearly income. 14.0% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Berea

SizeBereaU.S. average
2 bedrooms$1,111$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,576$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Berea overall?

Everyday prices in South Carolina overall are 6% below the U.S. average (index 93.7, U.S. = 100).

Housing
80
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
88
Other services
98
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Berea, so the South Carolina figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Berea

🏛️ Property tax$1,301a year · 0.64% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$145a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Berea

Commute to work24.6 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree21.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home63.9%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line22.9%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment6.7%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Berea?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $288 a month less.

Renting
$1,132
Owning
$1,420

Owning assumes a typical $204,700 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $20,470 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Berea, SC?

Renting in Berea costs a median of about $1,132 a month in 2026, including utilities. The South Carolina median is $1,479.

How much do I need to make to live in Berea?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $45,280 a year, or $22 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Berea cheap or expensive?

Berea is rated OK: rent takes 25.3% of the typical household income of $53,741. It ranks 28th cheapest of 101 South Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Berea?

The median homeowner in Berea pays $1,301 a year in property taxes, about 0.64% of the median home value.

Is Berea more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in South Carolina are 6% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Berea?

The median home value in Berea is $204,700, about 3.8 times the typical yearly household income.

16,862 people live in Berea. Numbers are typical (middle) values.