USDA eligibility map: South Carolina
About 93.5% of South Carolina's area is in USDA-eligible rural areas, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA Rural Development's published eligibility map, the 34th highest share among the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. 26 of 46 counties have no ineligible area at all. 94 Census places in South Carolina lie mostly inside ineligible areas, including Charleston city, Columbia city, Greenville city, Cayce city and Myrtle Beach city.
Check a South Carolina address
USDA eligible area by county
The share of each county's area that is USDA eligible, and the places (cities, towns and census-designated places) at least half inside ineligible areas. These are estimates; check any single property with the lookup.
| county | Area eligible | Mostly ineligible places |
|---|---|---|
| Abbeville County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Aiken County | 93.7% | Aiken city, North Augusta city, Belvedere CDP |
| Allendale County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Anderson County | 97.8% | Anderson city |
| Bamberg County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Barnwell County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Beaufort County | 93.1% | Hilton Head Island town |
| Berkeley County | 87.9% | Goose Creek city, Hanahan city, Ladson CDP, Sangaree CDP |
| Calhoun County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Charleston County | 62.0% | Charleston city, Mount Pleasant town, Folly Beach city, Kiawah Island town, Seabrook Island town, Isle of Palms city, James Island town, Sullivan's Island town, and 1 more |
| Cherokee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Chester County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Chesterfield County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Clarendon County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Colleton County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Darlington County | 99.1% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Dillon County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Dorchester County | 89.6% | North Charleston city, Summerville town |
| Edgefield County | 99.8% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Fairfield County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Florence County | 91.1% | Florence city |
| Georgetown County | 95.2% | Litchfield Beach CDP, Murrells Inlet CDP, Pawleys Island town |
| Greenville County | 74.4% | Greenville city, Greer city, Mauldin city, Taylors CDP, Simpsonville city, Gantt CDP, Wade Hampton CDP, Berea CDP, and 7 more |
| Greenwood County | 96.4% | Greenwood city |
| Hampton County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Horry County | 84.0% | Myrtle Beach city, North Myrtle Beach city, Carolina Forest CDP, Socastee CDP, Little River CDP, Garden City CDP, Forestbrook CDP, Surfside Beach town, and 2 more |
| Jasper County | 99.8% | None mostly inside; part of the area is ineligible |
| Kershaw County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lancaster County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Laurens County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Lexington County | 81.3% | Cayce city, Red Bank CDP, Lexington town, West Columbia city, Seven Oaks CDP, Oak Grove CDP, Irmo town, Pine Ridge town, and 2 more |
| Marion County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Marlboro County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| McCormick County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Newberry County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Oconee County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Orangeburg County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Pickens County | 94.5% | Easley city, Arial CDP |
| Richland County | 63.2% | Columbia city, Dentsville CDP, St. Andrews CDP, Forest Acres city, Woodfield CDP, Arthurtown CDP, Capitol View CDP, Olympia CDP, and 1 more |
| Saluda County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Spartanburg County | 85.0% | Spartanburg city, Valley Falls CDP, Southern Shops CDP, Whitney CDP, Camp Croft CDP, Arkwright CDP, Saxon CDP, Fairforest CDP, and 5 more |
| Sumter County | 84.9% | Sumter city, Lakewood CDP, Stateburg CDP, East Sumter CDP, South Sumter CDP, Mulberry CDP, Cherryvale CDP, Oakland CDP |
| Union County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| Williamsburg County | 100% | None: the whole county is eligible |
| York County | 88.7% | Rock Hill city, Newport CDP |
How USDA decides what is rural
The rural-area definition is section 520 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490): open country and places not part of or associated with an urban area with up to 2,500 people, up to 10,000 if rural in character, or up to 20,000 outside a metropolitan statistical area with a serious lack of mortgage credit for lower and moderate-income families. Areas that lost rural status in the 1990 to 2020 censuses stay rural until 2030 census data arrive if they have 10,000 to 35,000 people and meet the same conditions. Income is a separate test, applied to the household by the lender and USDA.
For other address-level designations in South Carolina, the free census tract lookup shows the income level and QCT and DDA status, and South Carolina has 135 designated Opportunity Zone tracts (Opportunity Zone lookup).
Questions
Is South Carolina eligible for USDA loans?
Much of it is. About 93.5% of the state's area is outside USDA's ineligible areas (2,014 of about 31,118 square miles are ineligible). 26 counties are entirely eligible. Most people live in the larger towns, which are often ineligible, so check the specific address.
Which South Carolina counties have the least USDA eligible area?
Charleston County (62.0% eligible), Richland County (63.2% eligible), Greenville County (74.4% eligible), Lexington County (81.3% eligible), Horry County (84.0% eligible). The share is of land area, by HeritageDeed's estimate from USDA's map; eligibility is decided for each property.
Which South Carolina towns are not eligible for USDA loans?
Places USDA's map shows as mostly inside an ineligible area include Charleston city, Columbia city, Greenville city, Cayce city, Myrtle Beach city, Sumter city, Spartanburg city and Goose Creek city. The county table on this page lists every place that is mostly ineligible. Edges matter: part of a town, or land just outside it, can be on the other side of the line, so check the address.
How do I check a South Carolina address for USDA eligibility?
Enter the street address in the lookup on this page. It locates the address and checks it against USDA's published rural eligibility map. It is a screening: Rural Development makes the final determination on a complete application, and household income is a separate test (USDA's income eligibility tool).
When was the USDA eligibility map for South Carolina last updated?
The ineligible areas on USDA's map for South Carolina carry an effective date of July 25, 2023. USDA updates the map from ineligible-area changes sent in by its state offices. The statute keeps formerly rural areas of 10,000 to 35,000 people rural until data from the 2030 census arrive, if they still meet its conditions.
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Legal references
- 42 U.S.C. 1490, definition of rural area (Housing Act of 1949, section 520)
Areas are computed by HeritageDeed: estimates, not USDA figures. USDA's map is not a final determination; Rural Development decides on a complete application. HeritageDeed is not affiliated with USDA.
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