Union County, South Carolina Housing Market Prices
Union County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 21% below the South Carolina median$189,062
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Median rent 32% below the South Carolina median Cheaper than 76% of counties in South Carolina$804
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Union County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $189,062 | $239,609 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 49.4% | 8.9% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $804 | $1,179 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.0% | 4.8% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Union County is about 21% lower than in South Carolina. Rent is about 32% lower than the South Carolina average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Union County, up about 49.4% and 4.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Union County rose about 33.2% between 2015 and 2024, from $604 to $804. Over the same span, rent in South Carolina rose about 49.3%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.6 yearly household incomes in Union County.
Buying the median-priced home in Union County costs roughly 19.6 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Union County. The price-to-rent ratio in South Carolina is about 16.9.
| Metric | Union County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $189,062 | $239,609 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $41,432 | $69,383 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.6 | 3.5 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Union County rose about 439.2%, while median household income rose about 25.1% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Union County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% | 62.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 24.7% | 24.4% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 14.2% | 13.3% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 18.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2008 | 2011 | 2011 |
Union County has a homeownership rate of 61.2%, lower than the South Carolina average of 62.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 14.2%, compared with 13.3% in South Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Union County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.28 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1971 | 1990 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.3 | 5.7 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Union County was built around 1971. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 5.3 rooms, staying for about 18.0 years on average.
Union County, SC Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Union County, SC is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 26,885 residents against a local median of 56,649. Union County, SC's median home price, at $189,062, runs 17% above the $161,273 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $346,447 on median home price, so Union County, SC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Union County, SC has the 3rd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, SC | 26,885 | $189,062 #3/6 | $804 #6/6 | 71.3% #6/6 |
| Cherokee County, SC | 56,649 | $429,025 | $868 | 73.8% |
| Newberry County, SC | 38,435 | $224,444 | $871 | 73.1% |
| Laurens County, SC | 68,664 | $82,578 | $879 | 71.5% |
| Spartanburg County, SC | 347,752 | $158,720 | $1,084 | 73.0% |
| Chester County, SC | 32,186 | $161,273 | $853 | 78.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Union County, South Carolina.
What is the median home price in Union County, South Carolina?
The median home price in Union County, South Carolina is $189,062, lower than the South Carolina average of $239,609.
What is the average home price in Union County, South Carolina?
The typical home price in Union County, South Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $189,062. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Union County, South Carolina?
The median gross rent in Union County, South Carolina is $804 per month, lower than the South Carolina average of $1,179.
What was the median gross rent in Union County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Union County, South Carolina was $707 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Union County, South Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Union County, South Carolina is about 19.6, meaning it would take roughly 19.6 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Union County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Union County, South Carolina?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Union County, up about 49.4% and 4.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Union County, South Carolina?
61.2% of households in Union County, South Carolina own their home, lower than the South Carolina average of 62.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Union County, South Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Union County, South Carolina is 14.2%, higher than the South Carolina average of 13.3%.
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