Department of Numbers

Spartanburg South Carolina Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Spartanburg, SC (the Spartanburg metro area) was $841 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Spartanburg was $802 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Spartanburg median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Spartanburg rental vacancy rates, Spartanburg rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Spartanburg.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Spartanburg South Carolina (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
South Carolina Median Gross Rent $922 +1.54% +4.65%
Spartanburg, SC Median Gross Rent $841 +6.46% +11.24%

Spartanburg, SC Real Gross Rent Trends

At $841, real median gross rent in Spartanburg was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. At $802, real average gross rent in Spartanburg was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005.

Real Gross Rent in Spartanburg: Spartanburg SC Median, Spartanburg SC Average, South Carolina Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Spartanburg

Date US
Median
South Carolina
Median
Spartanburg, SC
Median
Spartanburg, SC
Average
2019 $1,097 $922 $841 $802
2018 $1,077 $908 $790 $733
2017 $1,043 $874 $812 $757
2016 $1,027 $881 $756 $713
2015 $1,017 $869 $754 $705
2014 $986 $835 $737 $695
2013 $953 $807 $716 $669
2012 $940 $802 $726 $707
2011 $941 $800 $730 $663
2010 $955 $813 $714 $672
2009 $960 $805 $708 $699

more history ...

Spartanburg Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Spartanburg South Carolina was 6.62% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Spartanburg South Carolina

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
South Carolina 9.13% -0.86% +0.64%
Spartanburg, SC 6.62% -2.36% +1.90%

Trends in Spartanburg, SC Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Spartanburg peaked in 2009 at 16.89%. Since then it has fallen by 10.27% to 6.62%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2016 post peak low of 4.72%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 1.90%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Spartanburg SC, South Carolina, US

Rental vacancy rate in South Carolina

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Spartanburg

Date US South Carolina Spartanburg, SC
2019 5.97% 9.13% 6.62%
2018 6.15% 9.99% 8.98%
2017 6.18% 8.97% 4.93%
2016 5.89% 8.49% 4.72%
2015 5.85% 9.45% 4.85%
2014 6.32% 10.54% 7.85%
2013 6.49% 10.54% 7.32%
2012 6.77% 12.68% 7.89%
2011 7.40% 12.12% 12.32%
2010 8.17% 13.69% 14.17%
2009 8.43% 13.35% 16.89%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Spartanburg, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Spartanburg, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 18.24% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Spartanburg South Carolina Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
South Carolina 19.68% -0.79% -0.71%
Spartanburg, SC 18.24% +0.28% -0.37%

Trends in Spartanburg, SC Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Spartanburg household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2011 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 20.20%. Since then it has fallen by 1.96% to 18.24%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Spartanburg SC, South Carolina, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Spartanburg South Carolina

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Spartanburg South Carolina

Date US South Carolina Spartanburg, SC
2019 20.03% 19.68% 18.24%
2018 20.50% 20.46% 17.96%
2017 20.13% 20.12% 18.88%
2016 20.43% 20.39% 18.61%
2015 20.63% 20.81% 19.38%
2014 20.89% 20.98% 19.41%
2013 20.78% 20.81% 19.87%
2012 20.65% 20.99% 20.02%
2011 20.70% 20.99% 20.20%
2010 20.50% 20.79% 18.32%
2009 20.12% 19.96% 18.78%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Spartanburg South Carolina

You can calculate the renter fraction in Spartanburg in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Spartanburg as a fraction of total Spartanburg households. In 2019 27.43% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Spartanburg Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
South Carolina 29.73% -1.00% -1.64%
Spartanburg, SC 27.43% -1.80% -3.29%

Trends in the Spartanburg, SC Renter Fraction

The Spartanburg household renter fraction peaked in in 2014 at 33.31% and is now 5.88% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Spartanburg SC, South Carolina, US

Fraction of renters in Spartanburg

History of Spartanburg Renter Fraction

Date US South Carolina Spartanburg, SC
2019 35.89% 29.73% 27.43%
2018 36.05% 30.73% 29.23%
2017 36.13% 31.25% 31.03%
2016 36.88% 31.37% 30.72%
2015 36.97% 31.87% 31.37%
2014 36.90% 31.95% 33.31%
2013 36.50% 31.83% 32.11%
2012 36.09% 31.87% 32.26%
2011 35.42% 30.83% 31.06%
2010 34.65% 31.30% 29.52%
2009 34.13% 29.86% 27.90%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.