USDA Loans in South Carolina: 2026 Income Limits, Eligible Counties & $0-Down Towns
USDA income limits in South Carolina are $122,800 for a 1-4 person household and $162,100 for 5-8 in most counties for 2026, higher near Charleston and Beaufort, with $0 down. Here is where the eligible areas are.
We read the live USDA map for the exact address. Informational only. USDA makes the final call on a complete application.
USDA income limits in South Carolina for 2026
The 2026 USDA income limit for most of South Carolina is $122,800 for a household of one to four people and $162,100 for five to eight, effective July 13, 2026 under USDA Procedure Notice 657. That is roughly a 9% jump from the prior limit near $112,450, so buyers turned away a year ago may qualify now. The limit counts your whole household's income, not just the borrowers.
Two coastal areas run above that floor because their area median incomes are higher: the Charleston-North Charleston metro and Beaufort County, where median household incomes top $86,000. Rock Hill's York County, with a median income around $89,000, is another candidate to run above the floor. Confirm your county's exact figure on the USDA income eligibility tool, since the coastal figures shift with the annual update. Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg, and Myrtle Beach generally use the standard $122,800.
USDA counts the household, not the borrower. From USDA Handbook HB-1-3555:
"Income from all adult household members, not just parties to the note, must be considered."
An adult child with a job, or a spouse you leave off the loan, still counts toward the limit.
Which South Carolina counties and towns qualify?
USDA excludes the metro cores and keeps the rural fringe of the same counties eligible. The Lowcountry interior, the Pee Dee, and the rural Upstate fill back in once you leave the city footprint. Eligibility is per address, so the boundary can run mid-street.
- Near Charleston: the cores of Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and Summerville are out. Eligible in rural Charleston County (Ravenel, Hollywood, McClellanville) and Dorchester County's west side (St. George, Ridgeville). Berkeley County's Cane Bay and Nexton corridor is urbanizing fast and shrinking.
- Near Columbia: Columbia and Lexington are out; eligible in the Richland fringe (Eastover, Hopkins) and much of Lexington County (Gilbert, Pelion, Swansea, Batesburg-Leesville).
- Near Greenville and Spartanburg: the city cores are out, but Woodruff, Chesnee, Landrum, Inman, and Gray Court qualify. Travelers Rest and Fountain Inn are eligible but growing fast.
- Near Myrtle Beach: the Grand Strand is out; Aynor, Loris, Green Sea, and Longs in inland Horry County qualify.
- Florence and the Pee Dee: the strongest USDA fit in the state. Florence County has the lowest home values (median around $178,000) and a wide eligible rural belt. Lake City, Timmonsville, Johnsonville, and Pamplico all qualify.
Fast-growing South Carolina towns to check first
A handful of towns are growing quickly enough that eligibility is receding, so the address check matters most here. Travelers Rest and Fountain Inn near Greenville, Blythewood and Chapin near Columbia, the Cane Bay and Nexton corridor in Berkeley County, and the Clover and Lake Wylie edge in York County are all on the boundary. An address that qualified recently may not now, so confirm the exact one with the checker at the top of this page.
Can a South Carolina buyer afford a home with USDA?
The income headroom is wide. South Carolina's median household income is about $69,324 (Census, 2024), while the USDA limit for most counties is $122,800, roughly 77% higher, so the large majority of South Carolina households earn well under the cap. USDA also sets no maximum loan amount, so home price is bounded by what your income supports plus the appraisal.
The state median home value is about $259,000 (Census, 2024), and it runs lower in the strongest USDA counties: around $178,000 in Florence and $233,000 in Spartanburg. Those are comfortably covered by 100% financing. The coastal counties are pricier, with Charleston near $489,000 and Beaufort near $456,000, which pushes against the debt-to-income ceiling even with income headroom.
The coastal factor: flood insurance and your DTI
On the coast, Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Beaufort, Horry, and Georgetown counties, flood insurance is a real qualifying factor. Homes in FEMA flood zones require it, and under the current NFIP pricing, premiums commonly run from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a year. USDA counts that in your housing ratio, so on a Lowcountry purchase it can be the difference between qualifying and not. Get a flood-zone determination before you shop, because being in a USDA-eligible rural area and being in a flood zone are two separate maps that can both apply to the same home.
South Carolina down-payment assistance that pairs with USDA
SC Housing offers help that works with a USDA first mortgage. Its Made It Home program provides up to $25,000 in down-payment and closing-cost assistance as a 0% second, fully forgiven after ten years, for households earning up to about $135,000. Because USDA needs no down payment, that assistance goes toward closing costs. One correction worth flagging: the Palmetto Heroes program for public servants is shown closed for 2026, so do not count on it, and note that the agency moved its site to schousing.sc.gov. Confirm current program terms and whether a specific product pairs with USDA through an SC Housing-approved lender.
South Carolina USDA requirements at a glance
- Down payment: $0. USDA finances 100% of the price.
- Credit: no hard USDA minimum; 640 clears the automated system.
- Income: household income within $122,800 in most counties, higher near Charleston and Beaufort.
- Location: the home must sit in a USDA-eligible area, checked per address.
- Coastal: budget flood insurance into your qualifying if the home is in a flood zone.
Common questions
What are the 2026 USDA income limits in South Carolina?
For most of South Carolina, the 2026 USDA income limit is $122,800 for a household of one to four people and $162,100 for five to eight, effective July 13, 2026, up about 9% from the prior limit. The Charleston metro and Beaufort County run higher because their area incomes are higher. Confirm your county's exact figure on the USDA income eligibility tool.
Is the Charleston area USDA-eligible?
Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and Summerville's cores are not eligible, but the rural parts of Charleston and Dorchester counties are, in places like Ravenel, Hollywood, St. George, and Ridgeville. The Charleston metro also carries a USDA income limit above the statewide floor, because area incomes are among the highest in the state. Confirm any exact address on the USDA map.
Which South Carolina county is best for a USDA loan?
Florence County in the Pee Dee is one of the strongest fits. It has the lowest home values in the state, a median around $178,000, incomes well under the USDA cap, and a wide eligible rural belt covering Lake City, Timmonsville, Johnsonville, and Pamplico. That combination of affordability and eligibility makes $0-down USDA financing very usable there.
Do I need flood insurance for a USDA loan on the South Carolina coast?
If the home is in a FEMA flood zone, yes, and it counts toward your debt-to-income ratio. In Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Beaufort, Horry, and Georgetown counties, flood insurance can run from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a year, which affects how much home you qualify for. Get a flood-zone determination before you shop for a Lowcountry home.
What credit score do you need for a USDA loan in South Carolina?
USDA publishes no hard minimum credit score. Its automated underwriting system approves most reliably at a 640 score, which is the practical target. Below 640, a loan can still work through manual underwriting where an underwriter reviews your file by hand. Individual lenders may add their own credit overlays on top.
Is Palmetto Heroes still available in South Carolina?
The Palmetto Heroes down-payment-assistance program for public servants is shown closed for the 2026 cycle. SC Housing's Made It Home program, offering up to $25,000 forgivable over ten years for households up to about $135,000 in income, remains an option and can help with closing costs on a USDA loan. Confirm current availability with an SC Housing-approved lender.
Is there a maximum USDA loan amount in South Carolina?
No. The USDA Guaranteed program sets no maximum loan amount in South Carolina. Your borrowing limit is what your household income supports under the debt-to-income guidelines plus the appraised value. The area loan limits people sometimes read about apply to the separate USDA Direct program, which is different.
How do you check if a South Carolina address is USDA-eligible?
Enter the exact street address into the USDA property eligibility map at eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov, or use the checker at the top of this page. Do not rely on the town name, because eligibility runs per address and can split a street, especially in fast-growing spots like Travelers Rest, Blythewood, and the Berkeley County corridor near Charleston.