Rents are 2% below what Sumter's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,469 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 →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Sumter usually run 0.4% below trend in January and 0.5% above it in April, about $13 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Sumter is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in December 2015.
Rent in Sumter changed +5.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 54 South Carolina cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.1%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Sumter rose 45.1% while median household income rose 36.7% ($40,662 to $55,592). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Sumter is 54.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 11 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($55,592) is $1,390 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,257); a 3-bedroom is $1,513.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Sumter, 29153 ($1,766/mo), costs 34% more than the cheapest, 29150 ($1,316/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Sumter. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Sumter, SC is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 28.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Sumter, SC has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Sumter, SC paid around $1,022 a month. That figure now sits near $1,469, up 43.7% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $55,592 today, compared with $43,051 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has eased from 48.9% to 42.8%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 26.6% to 28.7% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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At $1,469/mo, how Sumter rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Sumter rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Sumter. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Sumter
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Sumter is $1,469/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $860/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,257/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $977/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,513/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($55,592/yr), Sumter ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Sumter rent compare to other cities in South Carolina?
At $1,469/mo, rent takes ~32% of Sumter's median household income ($55,592/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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