Barnwell County, South Carolina Housing Market

In Barnwell County, South Carolina, the median home value is $106,000, with a median monthly rent of $740. This places Barnwell County at #2842 nationally out of 3134 counties by median home value, and #38 within South Carolina.

Median Home Value $106,000
Median Rent $740/mo
Owner Occupancy 70.9%
Price/Rent Ratio 11.9

📈 Price Trend (2017 → 2024)

📊 Recent Market Momentum (FHFA HPI)

FHFA House Price Index — All-Transactions, Annual (2000 = 100) · Latest: 2025

💡 Year-over-Year Trend: Home prices in Barnwell County rose +13.4% year-over-year as of 2025. (Source: FHFA)

📍 Economic Snapshot

💼

Employment & Wages

3,389
jobs (private sector)
  • Avg weekly wage: $878
  • Establishments: 376
  • BLS QCEW, 2025
🏗️

Housing Supply

31
new units authorized (2025)
  • Single-family: 31
  • Multi-family: 0
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
🚚

Migration Patterns

+249
net migration (filers, 2021-2022)
  • Inflow: 7,497 (avg $51,337)
  • Outflow: 7,248 (avg $51,408)
  • IRS Statistics of Income

How Barnwell County Compares

MetricBarnwell CountySouth Carolina AverageU.S. Average
Median Home Value $106,000 $199,732 $227,706
Median Gross Rent $740 $984 $968
Owner Occupancy Rate 70.9% 73.2% 73.3%
Price/Rent Ratio 11.9 16.3 18.7

Market Analysis

The median home value in Barnwell County is 46.9% below the South Carolina state average and 53.4% below the U.S. national average. The median rent of $740/month is 24.8% below the state average.

With a price-to-rent ratio of 11.9, buying a home in Barnwell County is generally more favorable than renting for those planning to stay long-term. A ratio below 15 typically signals that purchasing is financially advantageous over a multi-year horizon.

Barnwell County has an owner-occupancy rate of 70.9%, compared to 73.2% in South Carolina and 73.3% nationally. This indicates a more renter-heavy market than the U.S. average.

Similar Counties by Home Value

CountyStateMedian Home ValueMedian Rent
Mitchell County Georgia $106,000 $797
Wheeler County Texas $106,100 $970
Halifax County North Carolina $106,200 $813
Fayette County West Virginia $105,800 $788
Hempstead County Arkansas $105,700 $815

Other Counties in South Carolina

CountyMedian Home ValueMedian RentOwner Occ.
Lee County $104,600 $823 70.5%
Williamsburg County $104,500 $765 76.4%
Union County $103,600 $804 71.3%
Hampton County $112,000 $843 73.4%
Bamberg County $97,800 $815 70.4%

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2024 5-Year Estimates (2017–2024). Variables: B25077 (Median Home Value), B25064 (Median Gross Rent), B25003 (Tenure). Data collected on 2026-10-14. The price-to-rent ratio is calculated as Median Home Value ÷ (Median Monthly Rent × 12).