South Carolina Property Tax Rates Explained

In 2024, South Carolina posted an effective property tax rate under 0.5% on owner-occupied homes, placing it among the nation's lowest states.
Buyers often needed guidance on South Carolina's two-tier system: primary residences were taxed lower than second homes and rental properties across counties.
In downtown Charleston, a $1M home carried estimated annual taxes of ~$4.6K as a primary residence versus ~$16.2K as a second home.
Local experts said low property taxes helped attract out-of-state buyers, supporting sales activity and higher home values across South Carolina in recent years.
One local view was that lower property taxes shifted more funding pressure to sales taxes, with Charleston County's sales tax around 9%.