Sumter South Carolina Residential Rent and Rental Statistics
The median monthly gross residential rent in Sumter, SC (the Sumter metro area) was $786 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Sumter was $703 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 Sumter median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.
Data is also available below for Sumter rental vacancy rates, Sumter rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Sumter.
Real Gross Rent in Sumter 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% |
| Sumter, SC Median Gross Rent | $786 | -4.03% | +9.62% |
Sumter, SC Real Gross Rent Trends
Median gross rent for Sumter peaked in real terms in 2015 at $822 and is now $36 (4.38%) lower. Average gross rent for Sumter peaked in real terms in 2011 at $841 and is now $138 (16.41%) lower.
Real Gross Rent in Sumter: Sumter SC Median, Sumter SC Average, South Carolina Median, US Median
Real Gross Rent History for Sumter
| Date | US Median |
South Carolina Median |
Sumter, SC Median |
Sumter, SC Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,097 | $922 | $786 | $703 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $908 | $819 | $747 |
| 2017 | $1,043 | $874 | $794 | $742 |
| 2016 | $1,027 | $881 | $717 | $655 |
| 2015 | $1,017 | $869 | $822 | $807 |
| 2014 | $986 | $835 | $754 | $722 |
| 2013 | $953 | $807 | $805 | $777 |
| 2012 | $940 | $802 | $743 | $670 |
| 2011 | $941 | $800 | $761 | $841 |
| 2010 | $955 | $813 | $760 | $685 |
| 2009 | $960 | $805 | $728 | $639 |
| 2007 | $927 | $758 | $726 | $651 |
| 2005 | $910 | $764 | $639 | $576 |
Sumter 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 Sumter South Carolina was 5.03% according to Census ACS data.
Rental Vacancy Rate in Sumter South Carolina
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 5.97% | -0.18% | +0.08% |
| South Carolina | 9.13% | -0.86% | +0.64% |
| Sumter, SC | 5.03% | -2.79% | +0.41% |
Trends in Sumter, SC Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate in Sumter peaked in 2009 at 12.99%. Since then it has fallen by 7.96% to 5.03%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2017 post peak low of 4.34%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 0.69%.
Rental Vacancy Rate: Sumter SC, South Carolina, US
Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Sumter
| Date | US | South Carolina | Sumter, SC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5.97% | 9.13% | 5.03% |
| 2018 | 6.15% | 9.99% | 7.82% |
| 2017 | 6.18% | 8.97% | 4.34% |
| 2016 | 5.89% | 8.49% | 4.62% |
| 2015 | 5.85% | 9.45% | — |
| 2014 | 6.32% | 10.54% | 6.92% |
| 2013 | 6.49% | 10.54% | — |
| 2012 | 6.77% | 12.68% | 5.06% |
| 2011 | 7.40% | 12.12% | 5.09% |
| 2010 | 8.17% | 13.69% | 9.76% |
| 2009 | 8.43% | 13.35% | 12.99% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 11.99% | 7.10% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 11.43% | — |
Rent as a Fraction of Income
Using median household income data for Sumter, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Sumter, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 19.15% in 2019 according to the ACS.
Sumter 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% |
| Sumter, SC | 19.15% | -1.83% | -1.09% |
Trends in Sumter, SC Rent as a Fraction of Income
The fraction of median Sumter household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2014 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 23.39%. Since then it has fallen by 4.24% to 19.15%.
Fraction of Income towards Rent: Sumter SC, South Carolina, US
Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Sumter South Carolina
| Date | US | South Carolina | Sumter, SC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20.03% | 19.68% | 19.15% |
| 2018 | 20.50% | 20.46% | 20.98% |
| 2017 | 20.13% | 20.12% | 20.27% |
| 2016 | 20.43% | 20.39% | 20.24% |
| 2015 | 20.63% | 20.81% | 22.59% |
| 2014 | 20.89% | 20.98% | 23.39% |
| 2013 | 20.78% | 20.81% | 23.05% |
| 2012 | 20.65% | 20.99% | 21.12% |
| 2011 | 20.70% | 20.99% | 20.14% |
| 2010 | 20.50% | 20.79% | 22.38% |
| 2009 | 20.12% | 19.96% | 20.35% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 17.86% | 19.00% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 18.65% | 18.20% |
Renter Fraction in Sumter South Carolina
You can calculate the renter fraction in Sumter 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 Sumter as a fraction of total Sumter households. In 2019 34.02% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.
Sumter 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% |
| Sumter, SC | 34.02% | -3.62% | -0.64% |
Trends in the Sumter, SC Renter Fraction
The Sumter household renter fraction peaked in in 2018 at 37.64% and is now 3.62% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.
Fraction of Renting Households: Sumter SC, South Carolina, US
History of Sumter Renter Fraction
| Date | US | South Carolina | Sumter, SC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.89% | 29.73% | 34.02% |
| 2018 | 36.05% | 30.73% | 37.64% |
| 2017 | 36.13% | 31.25% | 35.06% |
| 2016 | 36.88% | 31.37% | 34.66% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 31.87% | 36.08% |
| 2014 | 36.90% | 31.95% | 33.33% |
| 2013 | 36.50% | 31.83% | 35.10% |
| 2012 | 36.09% | 31.87% | 36.06% |
| 2011 | 35.42% | 30.83% | 35.92% |
| 2010 | 34.65% | 31.30% | 36.85% |
| 2009 | 34.13% | 29.86% | 28.95% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 29.96% | 33.98% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 29.91% | 31.87% |
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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