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New Report Fall 2026 Housing Affordability Report: every state is less affordable than in late August as average 30-year mortgage rates passed 7%. Read the report

Chester, SC Housing Affordability Index

Chester, South Carolina has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 131.4 (Highly Affordable) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 132nd most affordable of 281 scored South Carolina cities, compared with 112.4 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $123,000 home with 20% down, the South Carolina average 30-year fixed rate of 7.24% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $671, or 17% of the city’s $46,138 median household income.

The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for Chester is updated every night from live South Carolina mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income, home value and housing cost data for the city. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.

Chester MBR-HAI 131.4 Highly Affordable
Rank in South Carolina 132 of 281 1 = most affordable
South Carolina 112.4 Statewide score
National 97.4 100 = baseline
Avg 30-yr rate 7.24% South Carolina lenders
Median home value $123,000 U.S. Census Bureau

Chester is 19.0 points above the South Carolina score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the South Carolina index

View Chester Mortgage Rates

What It Takes to Buy in Chester

$671/mo
Principal & Interest
Median home, 20% down, 7.24%
$28,800
Income Needed
To keep the payment at 28% of income
$46,138
Median Household Income
South Carolina: $69,324
2.7x
Price-to-Income Ratio
South Carolina: 3.7x
$700/mo
Median Owner Costs
Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities
$1,367/yr
Median Property Tax
1.11% of median value
34.9%
Owner Cost Burden
Owners spending 30%+ of income on housing
43.2%
Renter Cost Burden
Renters spending 30%+ of income on rent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024) for Chester, South Carolina. The rate is the South Carolina average 30-year fixed rate from MonitorBankRates, since lenders publish rates by state.

Cite the Chester Score

“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 30, 2026. Chester, South Carolina score: 131.4 (Highly Affordable), ranked 132 of 281 South Carolina cities. monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/south-carolina/chester”