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Lake City, SC Eviction Risk Score Florence County · South Carolina · Pop. 5,988

Updated
● Moderate Risk

Lake City, SC sits at 4.8/10 — Moderate risk. 37.5% rent burden, 56.5% renters, ~40-day typical timeline.

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Score vs. benchmarks
Lake City
4.8
Florence County
6.0
South Carolina avg
5.6
National avg
4.4
24.0%Tenant-law probabilityi
$1,389–3,519Typical eviction costi
40 daysTypical timelinei
43.27%Filing ratei
$1,065HUD 2BR FMR '25i
$702Median renti
37.5%Rent burdeni
56.5%Rentersi

Location & regional heat

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High risk
Heat = surrounding cities. Click any dot to compare.

Sub-score breakdown

Each component on a 1–10 scale. Ticks mark the 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles nationally.

Local political climatei
5.4
Regional political climatei
5.4
State political climate
2.1
Economic stress
5.0
Supply constrainti
3.0
Rent-control riski
1.5
Eviction process difficulty
2.4
Tenant organizing strengthi
2.6
Housing court bias
2.1
Eviction filing rate (ground truth)i
9.9
Voucher gap (market vs HUD FMR)i
0.0
Own rentals in or near Lake City?
Free consultation — local rent-control exposure, notice requirements, and eviction defense risk.

About eviction risk in Lake City, SC

Lake City, SC has an eviction risk score of 4.8 out of 10, placing it in the moderate-risk tier for landlords operating in Florence County and the state of South Carolina. The score combines local political climate, court disposition patterns, cost-of-eviction estimates, tenant organizing strength, and the likelihood of new tenant-protective legislation in the next legislative cycle.

Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates show median gross rent as a percentage of household income is 37.5% — a core driver of eviction filings, because households above 30% of income on rent are statistically more likely to miss a payment after any income shock. Median gross rent in Lake City is $702/month. About 56.5% of occupied units here are renter-occupied.

Political climate: In 2020, Florence County voted Republican by 2.3 points — classified as politically mixed for purposes of rent-control or just-cause expansion risk.

What this score means for landlords

At 4.8/10, Lake City is a lower-risk environment. Standard screening, documented notices, and prompt action on non-payment typically resolve quickly. Still follow your state's specific notice and service requirements.

Nearby Cities — Eviction Risk Comparison

City Distance Population Risk score
Scranton, SC 3.5 mi 733 6.7
Coward, SC 7.6 mi 853 6.8
Olanta, SC 11.2 mi 806 5.7
Pamplico, SC 13.7 mi 1,134 6.8
Kingstree, SC 14.5 mi 3,132 6.5
Turbeville, SC 15.1 mi 925 6.4
Danwood, SC 15.4 mi 392 4.6
Shiloh, SC 16.2 mi 124 5.5

Landlord Guides & Research Tools

Deepen your research with these guides. The metrics powering this score feed directly into each breakdown.

Landlord Guides for South Carolina

Eviction Costs — South Carolina →
Filing fees, attorney fees, lost rent, sheriff lockout
Eviction Process — South Carolina →
Step-by-step timeline, notices, statute cites
Rent Control — South Carolina →
Statewide caps, local ordinances, just-cause
Tenant Screening — South Carolina →
5-point protocol, legal rules, protected classes
Tenant Protections — South Carolina →
Just cause, retaliation, habitability, entry