States › South Carolina › Marion

Is Marion, SC expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 25 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$68561% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$33,069about $2,756/month · 62% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$137,30059% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.2 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $27,400 a year. That is $13 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 2 of 101 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Marion
$685
Darlington
$910
Dillon
$731
Lake City
$739
Welcome
$1,161
Lyman
$1,137
Laurel Bay
$1,790

How much do households earn in Marion?

Under $25k
37.7%
$25k–50k
31.2%
$50k–100k
16.1%
$100k–150k
0.5%
$150k+
6.7%

Share of households by yearly income. 7.1% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Marion

SizeMarionU.S. average
Studio$705$1,338
1 bedroom$337$1,324
2 bedrooms$646$1,509
3 bedrooms$852$1,698

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

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

Taxes and bills in Marion

🏛️ Property tax$705a year · 0.51% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$187a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Marion

Commute to work26.4 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree19.8%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home47.8%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line26.8%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4.7%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Marion?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $268 a month less.

Renting
$685
Owning
$953

Owning assumes a typical $137,300 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $13,730 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Marion, SC?

Renting in Marion costs a median of about $685 a month in 2026, including utilities. The South Carolina median is $1,479.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $27,400 a year, or $13 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Marion cheap or expensive?

Marion is rated OK: rent takes 24.9% of the typical household income of $33,069. It ranks 2nd cheapest of 101 South Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Marion?

The median homeowner in Marion pays $705 a year in property taxes, about 0.51% of the median home value.

Is Marion 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 Marion?

The median home value in Marion is $137,300, about 4.2 times the typical yearly household income.

6,206 people live in Marion. Numbers are typical (middle) values.