Renters in an unassuming state got slammed with the biggest rent hike in America after everyone moved there

South Carolina recorded the largest rent increase of any US state, with median gross rent rising 19.2% in two years. The surge, linked to rapid population and job growth alongside a shortage of homes, is eroding the state’s reputation as an affordable place to live.

The typical renter paid $1,395 a month in 2025, up from $1,170 in 2023, compared with a 10.7% increase nationwide. Delaware, South Dakota, North Dakota and Idaho followed in the rankings. Researchers say about 90% of lower-income South Carolina households are housing-cost burdened, though asking rents in the state moved by less than 1% either way during 2025 as vacancies rose in most metro areas.