States › South Carolina › Lancaster

Is Lancaster, SC expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 22 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$91348% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$49,946about $4,162/month · 43% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$239,10028% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.8 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $36,520 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 14 of 101 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Lancaster
$913
York
$1,292
Seneca
$849
Litchfield Beach
$1,793
Sangaree
$1,493
Georgetown
$830
Laurens
$895

How much do households earn in Lancaster?

Under $25k
25.4%
$25k–50k
24.5%
$50k–100k
29.0%
$100k–150k
5.2%
$150k+
6.9%

Share of households by yearly income. 12.1% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Lancaster

SizeLancasterU.S. average
Studio$1,151$1,338
1 bedroom$791$1,324
2 bedrooms$899$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,075$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,396$2,098

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

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

Taxes and bills in Lancaster

🏛️ Property tax$1,320a year · 0.55% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$134a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Lancaster

Commute to work26.4 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree21.1%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home50.5%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line21.2%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment9.6%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lancaster?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $746 a month less.

Renting
$913
Owning
$1,659

Owning assumes a typical $239,100 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $23,910 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Lancaster, SC?

Renting in Lancaster costs a median of about $913 a month in 2026, including utilities. The South Carolina median is $1,479.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $36,520 a year, or $18 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Lancaster cheap or expensive?

Lancaster is rated OK: rent takes 21.9% of the typical household income of $49,946. It ranks 14th cheapest of 101 South Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Lancaster?

The median homeowner in Lancaster pays $1,320 a year in property taxes, about 0.55% of the median home value.

Is Lancaster 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 Lancaster?

The median home value in Lancaster is $239,100, about 4.8 times the typical yearly household income.

8,921 people live in Lancaster. Numbers are typical (middle) values.