Department of Numbers

Darlington County South Carolina Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Darlington County SC was $664 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Darlington County was $548 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Darlington County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Darlington County rental vacancy rates, Darlington County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Darlington County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Darlington County South Carolina (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
South Carolina Median Gross Rent $922 +1.54% +4.65%
Darlington County SC Median Gross Rent $664 -0.75% +3.91%

Darlington County SC Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Darlington County peaked in real terms in 2015 at $697 and is now $33 (4.73%) lower. Average gross rent for Darlington County peaked in real terms in 2017 at $683 and is now $135 (19.77%) lower. From a recent low of 451.0 in 2018, real average gross rent has now increased by $97 (21.51%).

Real Gross Rent: Darlington County SC Median, Darlington County SC Average, South Carolina Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Darlington County

Date US
Median
South Carolina
Median
Darlington County SC
Median
Darlington County SC
Average
2019 $1,097 $922 $664 $548
2018 $1,077 $908 $669 $451
2017 $1,043 $874 $688 $683
2016 $1,027 $881 $639 $526
2015 $1,017 $869 $697 $593
2014 $986 $835 $661 $505
2013 $953 $807 $632 $483
2012 $940 $802 $564 $487
2011 $941 $800 $680 $566
2010 $955 $813 $626 $511
2009 $960 $805 $655 $563

more history ...

Darlington County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2015 the rental vacancy rate for Darlington County South Carolina was 2.95% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Darlington County South Carolina

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
South Carolina 9.13% -0.86% +0.64%
Darlington County SC

Trends in Darlington County SC Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Darlington County peaked in 2005 at 13.29%. Since then it has fallen by 10.34% to 2.95%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Darlington County SC, South Carolina, US

Rental vacancy rate in South Carolina

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Darlington County

Date US South Carolina Darlington County SC
2019 5.97% 9.13%
2018 6.15% 9.99%
2017 6.18% 8.97%
2016 5.89% 8.49%
2015 5.85% 9.45% 2.95%
2014 6.32% 10.54% 13.22%
2013 6.49% 10.54%
2012 6.77% 12.68% 6.60%
2011 7.40% 12.12% 8.74%
2010 8.17% 13.69%
2009 8.43% 13.35% 6.52%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Darlington County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Darlington County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 17.86% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Darlington County South Carolina Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
South Carolina 19.68% -0.79% -0.71%
Darlington County SC 17.86% -5.66% -2.01%

Trends in Darlington County SC Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Darlington County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2018 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 23.52%. Since then it has fallen by 5.66% to 17.86%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Darlington County SC, South Carolina, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Darlington County South Carolina

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Darlington County South Carolina

Date US South Carolina Darlington County SC
2019 20.03% 19.68% 17.86%
2018 20.50% 20.46% 23.52%
2017 20.13% 20.12% 21.36%
2016 20.43% 20.39% 19.87%
2015 20.63% 20.81% 23.24%
2014 20.89% 20.98% 21.68%
2013 20.78% 20.81% 22.73%
2012 20.65% 20.99% 19.32%
2011 20.70% 20.99% 19.32%
2010 20.50% 20.79% 20.75%
2009 20.12% 19.96% 19.98%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Darlington County South Carolina

You can calculate the renter fraction in Darlington County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Darlington County as a fraction of total Darlington County households. In 2019 30.30% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Darlington County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
South Carolina 29.73% -1.00% -1.64%
Darlington County SC 30.30% +0.30% +5.87%

Trends in the Darlington County SC Renter Fraction

The Darlington County household renter fraction peaked in in 2015 at 36.71% and is now 6.41% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Darlington County SC, South Carolina, US

Fraction of renters in Darlington County

History of Darlington County Renter Fraction

Date US South Carolina Darlington County SC
2019 35.89% 29.73% 30.30%
2018 36.05% 30.73% 30.00%
2017 36.13% 31.25% 31.61%
2016 36.88% 31.37% 24.43%
2015 36.97% 31.87% 36.71%
2014 36.90% 31.95% 29.26%
2013 36.50% 31.83% 36.29%
2012 36.09% 31.87% 32.06%
2011 35.42% 30.83% 29.77%
2010 34.65% 31.30% 29.59%
2009 34.13% 29.86% 26.06%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.