South Carolina Section 538 income limits for FY2026
A Section 538 tenant can earn up to 115% of area median income at move-in. In South Carolina that limit for a family of four runs from $59,250 in Marion County, SC to $135,150 in Charleston-North Charleston, SC. Limits took effect July 13, 2026.
| Area | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC metro area | 72,750 | 83,150 | 93,550 | 103,950 | 112,250 | 120,600 | 128,900 | 137,200 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area | 94,600 | 108,100 | 121,650 | 135,150 | 145,950 | 156,750 | 167,600 | 178,400 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area | 94,500 | 108,000 | 121,500 | 135,000 | 145,800 | 156,600 | 167,400 | 178,200 |
| Chester County, SC part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area | 54,250 | 62,000 | 69,750 | 77,500 | 83,700 | 89,900 | 96,100 | 102,300 |
| Lancaster County, SC part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area | 87,650 | 100,200 | 112,650 | 125,200 | 135,200 | 145,250 | 155,250 | 165,300 |
| Columbia, SC metro area | 74,600 | 85,300 | 95,950 | 106,600 | 115,150 | 123,650 | 132,200 | 140,700 |
| Kershaw County, SC part of the Columbia, SC metro area | 74,700 | 85,400 | 96,050 | 106,750 | 115,250 | 123,850 | 132,350 | 140,900 |
| Darlington County, SC part of the Florence, SC metro area | 56,050 | 64,050 | 72,050 | 80,050 | 86,450 | 92,850 | 99,250 | 105,650 |
| Florence, SC metro area | 63,850 | 72,950 | 82,100 | 91,200 | 98,500 | 105,800 | 113,100 | 120,400 |
| Anderson, SC part of the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metro area | 76,550 | 87,500 | 98,400 | 109,350 | 118,100 | 126,850 | 135,600 | 144,350 |
| Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC part of the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metro area | 85,650 | 97,900 | 110,100 | 122,350 | 132,150 | 141,950 | 151,700 | 161,500 |
| Laurens County, SC part of the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metro area | 66,250 | 75,700 | 85,200 | 94,650 | 102,200 | 109,800 | 117,350 | 124,950 |
| Beaufort County, SC part of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area | 90,950 | 103,950 | 116,950 | 129,950 | 140,350 | 150,750 | 161,150 | 171,550 |
| Jasper County, SC part of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area | 66,250 | 75,700 | 85,200 | 94,650 | 102,200 | 109,800 | 117,350 | 124,950 |
| Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Are | 70,050 | 80,050 | 90,100 | 100,100 | 108,100 | 116,100 | 124,100 | 132,150 |
| Spartanburg, SC metro area | 72,950 | 83,350 | 93,800 | 104,200 | 112,550 | 120,850 | 129,250 | 137,550 |
| Union County, SC part of the Spartanburg, SC metro area | 50,900 | 58,150 | 65,450 | 72,700 | 78,500 | 84,350 | 90,150 | 95,950 |
| Sumter, SC metro area | 59,750 | 68,300 | 76,800 | 85,350 | 92,200 | 99,000 | 105,850 | 112,650 |
| Abbeville County, SC | 58,950 | 67,350 | 75,800 | 84,200 | 90,950 | 97,650 | 104,400 | 111,150 |
| Allendale County, SC | 45,500 | 52,000 | 58,500 | 65,000 | 70,200 | 75,400 | 80,600 | 85,800 |
| Bamberg County, SC | 53,550 | 61,200 | 68,850 | 76,500 | 82,600 | 88,750 | 94,850 | 101,000 |
| Barnwell County, SC | 54,000 | 61,700 | 69,450 | 77,150 | 83,300 | 89,500 | 95,650 | 101,850 |
| Cherokee County, SC | 58,850 | 67,250 | 75,650 | 84,050 | 90,750 | 97,500 | 104,200 | 110,950 |
| Chesterfield County, SC | 54,000 | 61,700 | 69,450 | 77,150 | 83,300 | 89,500 | 95,650 | 101,850 |
| Clarendon County, SC | 59,400 | 67,900 | 76,350 | 84,850 | 91,650 | 98,450 | 105,200 | 112,000 |
| Colleton County, SC | 54,500 | 62,300 | 70,050 | 77,850 | 84,100 | 90,300 | 96,550 | 102,750 |
| Dillon County, SC | 44,300 | 50,600 | 56,950 | 63,250 | 68,300 | 73,350 | 78,450 | 83,500 |
| Georgetown County, SC | 68,900 | 78,750 | 88,600 | 98,450 | 106,350 | 114,200 | 122,100 | 129,950 |
| Greenwood County, SC | 65,950 | 75,350 | 84,800 | 94,200 | 101,750 | 109,250 | 116,800 | 124,350 |
| Hampton County, SC | 49,850 | 56,950 | 64,100 | 71,200 | 76,900 | 82,600 | 88,300 | 94,000 |
| Lee County, SC | 49,700 | 56,800 | 63,900 | 71,000 | 76,650 | 82,350 | 88,000 | 93,700 |
| Marion County, SC | 41,500 | 47,400 | 53,350 | 59,250 | 64,000 | 68,750 | 73,450 | 78,200 |
| Marlboro County, SC | 46,150 | 52,700 | 59,300 | 65,900 | 71,150 | 76,450 | 81,700 | 87,000 |
| McCormick County, SC | 69,050 | 78,900 | 88,800 | 98,650 | 106,550 | 114,450 | 122,350 | 130,200 |
| Newberry County, SC | 64,250 | 73,400 | 82,600 | 91,750 | 99,100 | 106,450 | 113,750 | 121,100 |
| Oconee County, SC | 71,650 | 81,800 | 92,100 | 102,350 | 110,450 | 118,700 | 126,900 | 135,050 |
| Orangeburg County, SC | 55,400 | 63,350 | 71,250 | 79,200 | 85,500 | 91,850 | 98,200 | 104,550 |
| Williamsburg County, SC | 50,450 | 57,700 | 64,900 | 72,100 | 77,850 | 83,650 | 89,400 | 95,150 |
From income limit to rent cap
Two rent rules apply under 7 CFR 3565.203. Each unit's rent, counting tenant-paid utilities, can't exceed 30% of 115% of area median income adjusted for family size, which is 30% of the figure in the table for the household size you assume, divided by 12. And across the whole project, the average rent can't exceed 30% of 100% of area median income each year.
Worked example for Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC: the four-person limit is $103,950, so the per-unit cap for a unit sized for four people is $2,598 a month including utilities. The project-average cap uses 100% of median instead of 115%, roughly $2,259 a month at the four-person size. Which household size applies to each bedroom count is set in USDA's program handbook; confirm it with your lender.
Income is tested only at move-in. A tenant whose income later rises above the limit can stay (7 CFR 3565.202(a)). Want to see what those rents support in debt? Run them through the 538 loan sizer.
All 38 South Carolina areas and every other state in one file: 538 income limits download.