States › South Carolina › Chester

Is Chester, SC expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 23 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$94946% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$49,760about $4,147/month · 43% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$123,00063% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $37,960 a year. That is $18 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 17 of 101 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Chester
$949
Belvedere
$1,039
Central
$609
Hollywood
$1,710
Piedmont
$788
Walterboro
$1,015
Blythewood
$1,165

How much do households earn in Chester?

Under $25k
23.7%
$25k–50k
33.3%
$50k–100k
27.2%
$100k–150k
4.6%
$150k+
3.5%

Share of households by yearly income. 8.1% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Chester

SizeChesterU.S. average
2 bedrooms$923$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,017$1,698

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

How expensive is Chester 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 Chester, so the South Carolina figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Chester

🏛️ Property tax$1,075a year · 0.87% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$173a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Chester

Commute to work28.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree14%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home59.1%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line19.4%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment7.6%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Chester?

Buying is cheaper month to month: about $96 a month less than renting.

Renting
$949
Owning
$853

Owning assumes a typical $123,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $12,300 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Chester, SC?

Renting in Chester costs a median of about $949 a month in 2026, including utilities. The South Carolina median is $1,479.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $37,960 a year, or $18 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Chester cheap or expensive?

Chester is rated OK: rent takes 22.9% of the typical household income of $49,760. It ranks 17th cheapest of 101 South Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Chester?

The median homeowner in Chester pays $1,075 a year in property taxes, about 0.87% of the median home value.

Is Chester 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 Chester?

The median home value in Chester is $123,000, about 2.5 times the typical yearly household income.

5,218 people live in Chester. Numbers are typical (middle) values.