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USDA loan income limits and eligible areas in South Carolina

South Carolina USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Loan income limits, the eligible-area context for its rural communities, and the official USDA sources behind both — then run the live address and income precheck.

Income limits verified 2026-06-18

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South Carolina income limit
In most South Carolina counties the USDA Guaranteed Loan moderate-income limit is $119,850 for a 1-4 person household and $158,250 for a 5-8 person household (FY 2025 USDA table, effective 06/18/2025, still in effect for 2026).
Eligible areas in South Carolina
The Pee Dee, the Lowcountry beyond Charleston, and the upstate foothills make up most of South Carolina's USDA-eligible territory. The urbanized cores of Charleston, Columbia and North Charleston are excluded from the USDA map; their surrounding rural communities generally remain eligible.
Deep dive

A USDA Guaranteed Loan in South Carolina turns on two separate USDA tests: whether the property sits in a USDA-eligible rural area, and whether household income is within the county income limit. Both must hold before a lender underwrites the file.

South Carolina income limits by household size

USDA HB-1-3555 Appendix 5 sets the moderate-income limit per county and household-size band. Across most South Carolina counties the floor is $119,850 (1-4 people) and $158,250(5-8 people). For households above eight, USDA adds 8% of the four-person limit per additional person. The figure is adjusted annual household income after USDA's allowable deductions, not gross pay.

Where South Carolina limits can be higher

Higher-cost metro counties can exceed the $119,850 / $158,250 floor. This precheck applies the national floor when a specific South Carolinacounty row has not been ingested and labels it as a fallback, so confirm the exact county or metro row in USDA's official income-limit PDF.

Checking a South Carolina address

USDA eligibility is address-level, not ZIP-level: one ZIP can straddle eligible and ineligible ground, and boundaries often run mid-street near Charleston and other urbanized edges. Enter a complete South Carolinastreet address in the live precheck to geocode the point and test it against USDA Rural Development's ineligible-area layer.

After the precheck

Save the South Carolina address, county, household size, income, and check date. A USDA-approved lender and the South Carolina USDA Rural Development state office confirm the official county row and final eligibility. Income eligibility is not a loan amount — the lender sets that with the 29% PITI / 41% total-debt ratios.

Common questions

USDA loans in South Carolina — answers to the questions buyers ask

What is the USDA loan income limit in South Carolina?
In most South Carolina counties the USDA Guaranteed Loan moderate-income limit is $119,850 for a 1-4 person household and $158,250 for a 5-8 person household, from the FY 2025 USDA table effective 06/18/2025 and still in effect for 2026. Higher-cost metro counties can have higher limits, so confirm the exact county row in USDA's income-limit PDF.
Which areas of South Carolina are USDA eligible?
The Pee Dee, the Lowcountry beyond Charleston, and the upstate foothills make up most of South Carolina's USDA-eligible territory. The largest urbanized cities — Charleston, Columbia and North Charleston — and their immediate suburbs are excluded from the USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Loan eligible-area map, while the surrounding smaller communities generally remain eligible. Always confirm a specific address, because boundaries can run mid-street.
Is the USDA income limit the most I can borrow in South Carolina?
No. The income limit only screens whether your household is eligible for the program. The loan amount is set separately by a USDA-approved lender using repayment income and the 29% PITI / 41% total-debt ratio guidelines; USDA sets no maximum loan amount.
Primary sources

Verified USDA sources for South Carolina

Related checks

Pair the South Carolina income figures with the address and income workflows, then compare neighboring states.

USDA income limits by countyUSDA property eligibility by addressUSDA income eligibility mapUSDA loans in South DakotaUSDA loans in TennesseeAll states
Sources
USDA area layerreadyVerified 2026-06-18Census geocoderaddress inputVerified 2026-06-18USDA income limitsFY 2025 snapshotUSDA FY 2025 income limits (effective 06/18/2025), still in effect for 2026; Verified 2026-06-18
This is an independent planning aid, not a USDA determination. USDA Rural Development indicates whether an address sits in an eligible area as of the check date; USDA and a USDA-approved lender make the final property and income eligibility decision in South Carolina.