Greenville South Carolina Residential Rent and Rental Statistics
The median monthly gross residential rent in Greenville, SC (the Greenville-Mauldin-Easley metro area) was $867 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Greenville was $864 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 Greenville median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.
Data is also available below for Greenville rental vacancy rates, Greenville rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Greenville.
Real Gross Rent in Greenville 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% |
| Greenville, SC Median Gross Rent | $867 | -1.25% | +2.73% |
Greenville, SC Real Gross Rent Trends
Median gross rent for Greenville peaked in real terms in 2018 at $878 and is now $11 (1.25%) lower. Average gross rent for Greenville peaked in real terms in 2018 at $876 and is now $12 (1.37%) lower.
Real Gross Rent in Greenville: Greenville SC Median, Greenville SC Average, South Carolina Median, US Median
Real Gross Rent History for Greenville
| Date | US Median |
South Carolina Median |
Greenville, SC Median |
Greenville, SC Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,097 | $922 | $867 | $864 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $908 | $878 | $876 |
| 2017 | $1,043 | $874 | $822 | $835 |
| 2016 | $1,027 | $881 | $844 | $852 |
| 2015 | $1,017 | $869 | $815 | $805 |
| 2014 | $986 | $835 | $777 | $780 |
| 2013 | $953 | $807 | $753 | $727 |
| 2012 | $940 | $802 | $770 | $751 |
| 2011 | $941 | $800 | $761 | $787 |
| 2010 | $955 | $813 | $773 | $758 |
| 2009 | $960 | $805 | $778 | $768 |
| 2007 | $927 | $758 | $732 | $738 |
| 2005 | $910 | $764 | $725 | $714 |
Greenville Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Greenville South Carolina was 7.06% according to Census ACS data.
Rental Vacancy Rate in Greenville South Carolina
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 5.97% | -0.18% | +0.08% |
| South Carolina | 9.13% | -0.86% | +0.64% |
| Greenville, SC | 7.06% | -2.31% | +2.13% |
Trends in Greenville, SC Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate in Greenville peaked in 2005 at 12.27%. Since then it has fallen by 5.21% to 7.06%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2013 post peak low of 4.40%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 2.66%.
Rental Vacancy Rate: Greenville SC, South Carolina, US
Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Greenville
| Date | US | South Carolina | Greenville, SC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5.97% | 9.13% | 7.06% |
| 2018 | 6.15% | 9.99% | 9.37% |
| 2017 | 6.18% | 8.97% | 5.89% |
| 2016 | 5.89% | 8.49% | 4.93% |
| 2015 | 5.85% | 9.45% | 5.16% |
| 2014 | 6.32% | 10.54% | 9.62% |
| 2013 | 6.49% | 10.54% | 4.40% |
| 2012 | 6.77% | 12.68% | 7.67% |
| 2011 | 7.40% | 12.12% | 7.08% |
| 2010 | 8.17% | 13.69% | 10.95% |
| 2009 | 8.43% | 13.35% | 9.97% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 11.99% | 9.08% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 11.43% | 12.27% |
Rent as a Fraction of Income
Using median household income data for Greenville, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Greenville, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 17.75% in 2019 according to the ACS.
Greenville 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% |
| Greenville, SC | 17.75% | -0.79% | -1.35% |
Trends in Greenville, SC Rent as a Fraction of Income
The fraction of median Greenville household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2012 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 19.87%. Since then it has fallen by 2.12% to 17.75%.
Fraction of Income towards Rent: Greenville SC, South Carolina, US
Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Greenville South Carolina
| Date | US | South Carolina | Greenville, SC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20.03% | 19.68% | 17.75% |
| 2018 | 20.50% | 20.46% | 18.54% |
| 2017 | 20.13% | 20.12% | 18.70% |
| 2016 | 20.43% | 20.39% | 19.10% |
| 2015 | 20.63% | 20.81% | 19.13% |
| 2014 | 20.89% | 20.98% | 19.72% |
| 2013 | 20.78% | 20.81% | 19.13% |
| 2012 | 20.65% | 20.99% | 19.87% |
| 2011 | 20.70% | 20.99% | 19.00% |
| 2010 | 20.50% | 20.79% | 19.47% |
| 2009 | 20.12% | 19.96% | 18.94% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 17.86% | 16.54% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 18.65% | 16.79% |
Renter Fraction in Greenville South Carolina
You can calculate the renter fraction in Greenville 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 Greenville as a fraction of total Greenville households. In 2019 29.11% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.
Greenville 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% |
| Greenville, SC | 29.11% | -2.17% | -5.26% |
Trends in the Greenville, SC Renter Fraction
The Greenville household renter fraction peaked in in 2016 at 34.37% and is now 5.26% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.
Fraction of Renting Households: Greenville SC, South Carolina, US
History of Greenville Renter Fraction
| Date | US | South Carolina | Greenville, SC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.89% | 29.73% | 29.11% |
| 2018 | 36.05% | 30.73% | 31.28% |
| 2017 | 36.13% | 31.25% | 31.18% |
| 2016 | 36.88% | 31.37% | 34.37% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 31.87% | 33.13% |
| 2014 | 36.90% | 31.95% | 32.40% |
| 2013 | 36.50% | 31.83% | 32.08% |
| 2012 | 36.09% | 31.87% | 34.22% |
| 2011 | 35.42% | 30.83% | 31.95% |
| 2010 | 34.65% | 31.30% | 31.82% |
| 2009 | 34.13% | 29.86% | 31.88% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 29.96% | 30.76% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 29.91% | 30.46% |
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. ↩
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