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South Carolina Housing Affordability Index | MonitorBankRates (MBR-HAI)

South Carolina Housing Affordability Index

Daily affordability score for South Carolina compared to the national average. Updated every night using live mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income and home value data.

Live Score
South Carolina
114.9
More Affordable Than Avg
MBR-HAI • May 26, 2026
0 vs. prior day
National Average
100.0
Near National Average
MBR-HAI • May 26, 2026
0 vs. prior day
National Rank #14 of 51 states
vs. National Average +14.9 points
30-yr Rate Used 6.519%
Median Home Value $259,000
Median Household Income $69,324

South Carolina Affordability Ranking

#14 of 51 states · May 26, 2026 More affordable than average
Most Affordable Least Affordable
More affordable than: 37 of 51 states (73%)
Less affordable than: 13 of 51 states (25%)
MBR-HAI Score: 114.9 vs. national 100.0 (+14.9 points)
Nearby States
↑ 11 more affordable states above
#12 ND 117.3
#13 OH 115.2
#14 South Carolina ◀ 114.9
#15 NM 114.6
#16 SD 114.1
↓ 35 less affordable states below
Top 5 Most Affordable
#1 WV 148.1
#2 AR 139.9
#3 AL 137.2
#4 MS 134.6
#5 IA 130.5
Bottom 5 Least Affordable
#47 OR 79.7
#48 DC 78.7
#49 MA 77.8
#50 HI 70.7
#51 CA 68.4

View full 51-state rankings →

South Carolina MBR-HAI · 90-Day Trend

South Carolina
National Average

Dashed line = national average. Amber dashed line = 100 baseline. Score updates each morning after the nightly rate aggregation run.

Key Affordability Factors · South Carolina

$259,000
Median Home Value
U.S. median: varies by state
$69,324
Median Household Income
U.S. median: $80,734
3.7x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Home value ÷ income
$1,007/mo
Median Owner Costs
17.4% of income annually
$1,481/yr
Median Property Tax
0.57% effective rate
72.3%
Homeownership Rate
U.S. average: 65.7%
25.4%
Owner Cost Burden
% spending 30%+ of income on housing
6.519%
30-yr Mortgage Rate
State average • May 26, 2026

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and Current Population Survey. Mortgage rate from MBR live rate database.

How South Carolina Ranks Among All States

#14
of 51 states
Least Affordable Most Affordable
South Carolina is more affordable than 74% of U.S. states, More Affordable Than Avg
114.9
MBR-HAI Score
Rank State MBR-HAI Score Affordability
▲ See top 10 states →
11 Missouri 119.3 More Affordable Than Avg
12 North Dakota 117.3 More Affordable Than Avg
13 Ohio 115.2 More Affordable Than Avg
14 South Carolina You are here 114.9 More Affordable Than Avg
15 New Mexico 114.6 More Affordable Than Avg
16 South Dakota 114.1 More Affordable Than Avg
17 Michigan 111.0 More Affordable Than Avg
▼ See all 51 state rankings →

Showing states ranked near South Carolina · May 26, 2026 • View complete national rankings →

Download South Carolina HAI Data

South Carolina History (CSV)
Daily score vs. national • all dates
date,state,hai_score,national_score,rate_used
2026-05-26,SC,114.9,100.0,6.519
Download SC History (CSV)
All 51 States (CSV)
Compare South Carolina to every state

Daily scores for all 51 states, filter by state or date in Excel or Google Sheets.

All States (CSV)
Cite the South Carolina MBR-HAI
Editorial / press citation
“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, May 26, 2026. South Carolina score: 114.9 (More Affordable Than Avg), ranked #14 of 51 states. Methodology: monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index-methodology”
APA 7th edition (academic)
Monitor Bank Rates LLC. (2026, May 26). MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index: South Carolina [Data set]. https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/south-carolina/

Press & Citation Resources · South Carolina

Ready-to-publish sentences using today's South Carolina data, an email template you can send to clients, and direct contact for press inquiries or custom data requests.

Ready-to-Publish Sentences

Each sentence updates daily with the live South Carolina score. Free for editorial use with attribution to MonitorBankRates.

News Lead · AP-style, factual

In South Carolina, the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index stood at 114.9 on May 26, 2026, ranking #14 of 51 U.S. states for homeownership affordability and indicating more affordable than avg conditions relative to the national baseline. The state-level reading combines South Carolina's 30-year mortgage rate average of 6.519% with U.S. Census Bureau housing values, household income, property taxes, and cost burden data.

Analyst Quote · with voice, attributable

“South Carolina's MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index score of 114.9 places it #14 of 51 nationwide. Above the 100 baseline, that means buyer purchasing power in South Carolina is stronger than the long-run national average computed at a 6.5% mortgage rate. The state's 30-year average is currently 6.519%, and the index outperforms the national average.”

Brian McKay, MonitorBankRates

Social Media · concise, share-friendly

🏠 MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index. South Carolina: 114.9 (More Affordable Than Avg), rank #14 of 51 states. 30-yr mortgage avg: 6.52%. National baseline = 100. Updated daily · via @MonitorBankRates → https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/south-carolina/

Casual / Blog · conversational

Housing affordability in South Carolina is currently sitting at 114.9 on the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, ranking it #14 of 51 U.S. states. With 100 representing the long-term national baseline at a 6.5% reference rate, South Carolina's 30-year mortgage rate of 6.52% reflects more affordable than avg conditions for local buyers. The state outperforms the national average as a whole.

Mortgage Broker Email Template

Pre-written client update for South Carolina homebuyers. Personalize the bracketed fields and send.

SubjectHousing affordability snapshot for South Carolina: what it means for your search
Hi [Client Name], Wanted to share a quick affordability snapshot for South Carolina from the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, a daily-updated composite that tracks how affordable U.S. homeownership is right now. South Carolina's current reading: 114.9 (More Affordable Than Avg), rank #14 of 51 states National reading: 100.030-year mortgage rate average in South Carolina: 6.519% The index baseline of 100 represents long-run typical conditions at a 6.5% reference rate. South Carolina currently outperforms the national average. For full state context (including the 90-day trend, key affordability factors, and how South Carolina compares to neighboring states) see: https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/south-carolina/ Always happy to discuss what this means for your specific situation. Best, [Your Name]

For Press & Researchers

The South Carolina MBR-HAI is free to cite for editorial, academic, and policy use with attribution. We're happy to provide additional support:

  • Custom data cuts: South Carolina metros, MSAs, or historical slices on request
  • Embargo-friendly releases: give us 24 hours notice for scheduled coverage
  • Background interviews: methodology, market context, or commentary on rate moves
  • Direct contact: contact form or reply to any address listed there

For our published citation history and recent media mentions, see MBR in the Press.