Fairfield County, SC

This county of 20,144 residents needs 548 more housing units over the next five years.

Housing snapshot

Population
20,144 (2026)
Households
8,779
Median household income
$50,305 (2026)
Typical home value
$172,862
Owner-occupied
61%
Five-year housing need
548 units

Comparison to other South Carolina counties

Fairfield County: $50,305 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$37K >$100K
Fairfield County: 0.67 jobs to household ratio
<0.31 >1.28
Fairfield County: Permits since 2021 represent 3.3% of housing
<0.3% >20.7%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

In Fairfield County, SC, the typical home price of $172,862 is below the South Carolina average of $207,070. Fairfield County, SC's median household income of $50,305 puts the typical home within reach for most households.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

Fairfield County, SC has a population of roughly 20,550, though it has been declining at 1.0% per year.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

Fairfield County, SC has roughly 8,779 households, though population has been declining at 1.0% per year.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

In Fairfield County, SC, detached single-family accounts for 69% of the housing stock. Homeownership is the norm in Fairfield County, SC, with 61% of units owner-occupied.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, Fairfield County, SC needs 548 new units over the next 5 years.

548
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
143
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 2.6 per 1,000 units.
83
Ownership vacancy adjustment
Owner-occupied vacancy is 0.3%. This is below the minimum stable target of 1.5%.
116
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 2.9%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
7
Overcrowding adjustment
Overcrowding rate is 3.5%. This is above National avg. of 3.4%.
199
Substandard housing adjustment
Substandard housing rate is 3.21%. This is above National avg. of 0.98%.
548
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
110
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
5.0%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
1.0%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

How do these communities compare to each other?