Saluda County, South Carolina Housing Market

In Saluda County, South Carolina, the median home value is $146,500, with a median monthly rent of $851. This places Saluda County at #2291 nationally out of 3134 counties by median home value, and #33 within South Carolina.

Median Home Value $146,500
Median Rent $851/mo
Owner Occupancy 78.7%
Price/Rent Ratio 14.3

📈 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 Saluda County fell -3.5% year-over-year as of 2025. (Source: FHFA)

📍 Economic Snapshot

💼

Employment & Wages

3,494
jobs (private sector)
  • Avg weekly wage: $985
  • Establishments: 262
  • BLS QCEW, 2025
🏗️

Housing Supply

61
new units authorized (2025)
  • Single-family: 61
  • Multi-family: 0
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
🚚

Migration Patterns

+239
net migration (filers, 2021-2022)
  • Inflow: 7,028 (avg $58,034)
  • Outflow: 6,789 (avg $56,398)
  • IRS Statistics of Income

How Saluda County Compares

MetricSaluda CountySouth Carolina AverageU.S. Average
Median Home Value $146,500 $199,732 $227,706
Median Gross Rent $851 $984 $968
Owner Occupancy Rate 78.7% 73.2% 73.3%
Price/Rent Ratio 14.3 16.3 18.7

Market Analysis

The median home value in Saluda County is 26.7% below the South Carolina state average and 35.7% below the U.S. national average. The median rent of $851/month is 13.5% below the state average.

With a price-to-rent ratio of 14.3, buying a home in Saluda 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.

Saluda County has an owner-occupancy rate of 78.7%, compared to 73.2% in South Carolina and 73.3% nationally. This indicates a more homeowner-heavy market than the U.S. average.

Similar Counties by Home Value

CountyStateMedian Home ValueMedian Rent
Wheeler County Nebraska $146,500 $509
Noble County Oklahoma $146,400 $826
Cass County Texas $146,400 $852
Mercer County Illinois $146,700 $786
Texas County Missouri $146,700 $665

Other Counties in South Carolina

CountyMedian Home ValueMedian RentOwner Occ.
Cherokee County $142,000 $869 73.8%
Fairfield County $151,200 $938 74.6%
Clarendon County $158,000 $763 72.9%
Darlington County $158,200 $896 70.9%
Chester County $158,300 $853 78.4%

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).