Cost tools

4% vs 6% tax estimator for Charleston SC.

South Carolina does not tax two identical houses the same. Occupancy, the homestead exemption, and your county millage decide the bill. This is a planning estimate, not the county’s number.

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Why two houses on the same street pay different bills

South Carolina taxes a percentage of fair market value called the assessment ratio. Live in it as your legal residence and you are at 4%. Use it as a second home or rental and you are at 6%. The 4% filing is not automatic when you close.

The FY2027 budget also raised the homestead exemption to the first $75,000 of fair market value for qualifying owners. That is the number this tool uses when you check homestead. Pair it with the 4% vs 6% Field Note and the filing checklist.

The first-year trap

The seller’s bill is often 4%. Yours will not be until you file legal residence — and a sale can reassess the value. Send me an address and I will pull the actual history before you offer.

Tax Estimator

Planning estimate · Charleston metro

Home value

County

How you will use it

Homestead ($75k FMV) — 65+, disabled, or legally blind

Estimated annual tax

At 4% (legal residence)--

At 6% (other)--

Gap if you miss the 4% filing--

Typical Charleston-area effective rates (~0.5% at 4%, ~1.3% at 6%). Millage, municipalities, and special districts change the bill. Not tax advice.

Common questions

Tax Estimator FAQ

What is the difference between 4% and 6% property tax in South Carolina?

Owner-occupied legal residences are assessed at 4% of fair market value. Second homes, rentals, and most other residential property sit at 6%. The 4% rate also qualifies the home for the school operating exemption, so a primary residence often pays close to half of the 6% bill.

How does the new homestead exemption work?

The FY2027 state budget raised the homestead exemption on a qualifying legal residence from $50,000 to $75,000 of fair market value for owners who are 65+, totally and permanently disabled, or legally blind. Apply with the county auditor. This calculator uses $75,000 as a planning input — confirm the bill year with the auditor.

Is this my actual tax bill?

No. Millage varies by municipality and special districts, and a sale can trigger reassessment. Use this to budget 4% vs 6%, then verify with the county assessor and the property tax checklist.

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Direct480-888-6895

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Stack the cost tools: 4% vs 6% tax, closing costs, all-in monthly, then confirm the street with Check This Address and Charleston Pulse.