Charleston County, SC

For June 2026, Charleston County’s selected direct-evidence set presents a wide current Zillow ZORI asking-rent index range: $1,657 in 29406 to $3,595 in 29401. The $1,938 spread, around a $2,187.50 selected-set median, makes broad county-level pricing an incomplete screen; the county Zillow reading is $2,156. Annual ZORI change also spans 0.8% to 10.6%, so the decision question is not simply whether rent is high or low, but which price point, recent movement, unit type, and availability fit the household’s budget and search timing. These are typical observed asking-rent index values, not the rent for every currently advertised unit.

Three rent measures answer different questions and should remain separate. In ACS five-year ZCTA survey data, median gross rent is $1,790 for 29401 and $1,342 for 29406; these survey estimates are not current ZORI asking rents. HUD’s bedroom-specific two-bedroom administrative standard is $2,320 for the former ZIP and $1,690 for the latter, rather than a market asking-rent observation. In the selected set, current ZORI relative to HUD’s two-bedroom standard ranges from 89.3% to 155.0%. That variation is useful for program or screening context, but it does not establish that a particular advertised apartment qualifies, is affordable, or has a matching bedroom count. They should not be averaged or treated as sequential measurements.

Affordability pressure appears across different rent levels. The ACS ZCTA share of renter households spending at least 30% of income on rent ranges from 39.6% in 29418 to 62.0% in 29466, versus 53.4% for the county ACS estimate. Treat these as survey burden measures rather than an outcome for a new lease. ACS ZCTA vacancy ranges from 5.4% in 29414 to 31.1% in 29455, compared with 14.7% countywide. Higher vacancy can widen a renter’s search set, whereas lower vacancy can make timing and verified availability more consequential; it neither guarantees concessions nor proves an affordability result. A household should therefore assess burden alongside its income, lease terms, utilities, and actual unit rent rather than using either measure alone.

The analysis covers 12 eligible direct-ZORI ZIP/ZCTA matches and 64,807 renter households under the stated selection rule, so it is a decision screen rather than an exhaustive county inventory. ZCTAs are statistical areas, not USPS delivery ZIPs. Moreover, ZIPs may cross county boundaries; display assignment follows the largest HUD residential-address county share, which is material for cross-border ZIPs. Before acting, verify the exact address and county, current asking rent, bedroom count, utilities, fees, lease term, income rules, availability, and any program-specific rent standard directly with the listing or administering agency. Use the relevant measure for the relevant decision rather than converting one series into another.