FMR Lookup › South Carolina › Charleston-North Charleston
Section 8 Fair Market Rent in Charleston-North Charleston, SC (FY2026)
HUD's official FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA, by bedroom count. These figures set the baseline for what the Housing Choice Voucher program pays landlords in this area.
| Unit size | FY2026 FMR | Payment standard range (90–110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / efficiency | $1,557 | $1,401 – $1,713 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,630 | $1,467 – $1,793 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,787 | $1,608 – $1,966 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,222 | $2,000 – $2,444 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,562 | $2,306 – $2,818 |
Source: HUD User — FY 2026 Fair Market Rents. FY2026 FMRs are effective October 1, 2025. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
How this market compares
The 2-bedroom FMR here is $1,787 — 78% above the South Carolina median of $1,002 across all 38 FMR areas in the state.
Counties and towns covered
The Charleston-North Charleston, SC FMR area is a metro area covering: Berkeley County, Charleston County, Dorchester County. One FMR applies across the whole area — HUD does not publish separate figures per city or ZIP here (some large metros have Small Area FMRs by ZIP; check with the local housing authority).
What a landlord actually collects
FMR is the baseline, not the contract rent. The local housing authority sets a payment standard between 90% and 110% of FMR (the range in the table above), and your unit must pass a rent-reasonableness comparison against similar unassisted rentals nearby. The voucher then covers the gap between the tenant's share (roughly 30% of their income) and the approved rent.
Run the numbers for a deal in Charleston-North Charleston: Section 8 vs market rent, DSCR, or cash-on-cash return.
Comparable South Carolina markets by 2BR FMR
| FMR area | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaufort County | $1,657 | $1,816 | $2,177 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $1,538 | $1,686 | $2,076 |
| Jasper County | $1,407 | $1,542 | $1,849 |
| Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway | $1,229 | $1,465 | $1,805 |
| Greenville-Mauldin-Easley | $1,221 | $1,339 | $1,612 |
| Columbia | $1,164 | $1,276 | $1,623 |
All 38 South Carolina FMR areas →
Informational only — not financial, legal, or lending advice. Confirm current payment standards with the housing authority serving Charleston-North Charleston.