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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
3 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 3 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is.
129,330 residents · South Carolina
Why Columbia ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 94 on the cost index, residents save roughly 18% less than the typical American. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. Rent sits at $1,459/month — for better or worse — while the median household pulls in $55,653/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 84, though Healthcare (96) lags behind. Home prices average $226,769 — $240,601 below the national median.
121,469 residents · South Carolina
Why North Charleston ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 101 on the cost index, residents save roughly 11% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,670/month while the median household pulls in $62,789/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 93, though Healthcare (104) lags behind. Home prices average $307,981 — $159,389 below the national median.
155,369 residents · South Carolina
Here's Charleston by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 121. Rent: $2,127/month. Income: $90,038/year. Home price: $581,145. Population: 155,369. The strongest category is Utilities at 111; the most expensive is Housing at 152. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $2,784 more per year vs. the national median. When healthcare costs are this low, the savings ripple across every other category.
#1 Ranked: Columbia — cost index 94, rent $1,459/mo, income $55,653
3 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
3 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia | $1,459 | 18% | 94 | Details |
| 2 | North Charleston | $1,670 | 20% | 101 | Details |
| 3 | Charleston | $2,127 | 26% | 121 | Details |
3 of 3 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 3 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 3 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 3 cities in South Carolina using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Columbia comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
Why Columbia ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 94 on the cost index, residents save roughly 18% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,459/month while the median household pulls in $55,653/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 84, though Healthcare (96) lags behind. Home prices average $226,769 — $240,601 below the national median.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. And with some exceptions, the difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Columbia | 6.4% | 7.44% | 0.52% | $68,897 |
2North Charleston | 6.4% | 7.44% | 0.52% | $68,897 |
3Charleston | 6.4% | 7.44% | 0.52% | $68,897 |
We calculate what percentage of a $100K gross salary goes to median rent. Cities where rent consumes less of your paycheck rank higher. We also factor in estimated take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Columbia ranks #1 in South Carolina for this analysis with a cost index of 94 and median income of $55,653.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Columbia, rent would consume about 18% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Columbia (ranked #1) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,459/mo, while Charleston (ranked #3) has a cost index of 121 and rent of $2,127/mo — a 27-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Columbia is $1,459/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $436 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 6.4% state income tax, estimated take-home on $100K in Columbia is approximately $68,897/year ($5,741/month). After median rent of $1,459/month, you'd have roughly $51,389/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Columbia is $226,769, which is 4.1× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
South Carolina has a 6.4% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.44%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.52%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.