City Report · SC

Cayce

Pop. 13,741·49th most expensive in South Carolina·Rental market data updated monthly for Cayce, SC

Median rent (all units)

$1,462/mo

Year-over-Year

+4.3%

Month-over-Month

+0.7%

vs US Median

-$470

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Cayce · $1,462

More affordable than 78% of US cities · National median $1,932/mo

Affordability

28% of income

AFFORDABLE

0%30% benchmark60%+

At $1,462/mo, rent takes about 28% of the local median household income, comfortably within the 30% benchmark.

Income to afford

$58,000/yr

Local median income

$62,045/yr

Based on the 30%-of-income rule using Cayce's median rent and household income. See the full affordability breakdown →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,130

1 BR

$1,250

2 BR

$1,380

3 BR

$1,760

4 BR+

$2,120

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$1,380/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,462 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.

Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Past year vs. the rest of South Carolina

Rent in Cayce changed +4.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 54 South Carolina cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.1%.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($62,045) is $1,551 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,380); a 3-bedroom is $1,760.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Cayce. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$17,544/yr

At $1,462/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (4.3% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+4.3% YoY, +0.7% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Cayce, SC is majority owner-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 31.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

13,741

Median income

$62,045

Median age

37.7

Renters

39.5%

Age distribution

15.4%

30.3%

20.6%

16.1%

17.6%

Under 1815.4%

18–3430.3%

35–5420.6%

55–6416.1%

65+17.6%

Gender

54.3%

45.7%

Male54.3%

Female45.7%

Race & ethnicity

57.2%

25.8%

White57.2%

Black25.8%

Hispanic11.7%

Asian2.6%

Other2.8%

Education (25+)

31.2%

30.4%

31.1%

No HS diploma7.3%

HS diploma31.2%

Some college30.4%

Bachelor's+31.1%

Housing tenure

60.5%

39.5%

Owner60.5%

Renter39.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How Cayce, SC has changed in 5 years

Income

$55,162 → $62,045

up 12.5%

Population

13,637 → 13,741

up 0.8%

Renter share

45.7% → 39.5%

-6.2 pts

Bachelor's+

32% → 31.1%

-0.9 pts

Median age

37 → 37.7

+0.7 yrs

Median household income climbed from $55,162 to $62,045 between 2021 and 2024, a 12.5% shift. The renter share has eased from 45.7% to 39.5%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder.

Community

Discussions about Cayce

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View Cayce rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Cayce on your salary?

At $1,462/mo, how Cayce rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $83,142/yr · Rent = 21.1% income

affordable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $59,030/yr · Rent = 29.7% income

affordable

Police Officer

Avg $67,998/yr · Rent = 25.8% income

affordable

Software Developer

Avg $121,537/yr · Rent = 14.4% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $155,294/yr · Rent = 11.3% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $55,273/yr · Rent = 31.7% income

stretched

Truck Driver

Avg $49,905/yr · Rent = 35.2% income

stretched

Electrician

Avg $61,512/yr · Rent = 28.5% income

affordable

By apartment size

Cayce rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Cayce. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Cayce

About renting in Cayce, SC

Last updated: October 17, 2026

The median rent in Cayce is $1,462/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,130/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,380/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,250/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,760/mo.

At 28% of local median household income ($62,045/yr), Cayce ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.3% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in Cayce?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $58,000/year (about $28/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,462/mo in Cayce. The local median household income is $62,045/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in Cayce?

Rent in Cayce has risen 4.3% over the past year.

How does Cayce rent compare to other cities in South Carolina?

Cayce is one of the more affordable among South Carolina cities for rent, ranking #49 of 62 tracked cities at $1,462/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in Cayce changed +4.3%, against a typical +3.1% across the 54 South Carolina cities Zillow tracks.