Greenwood County, South Carolina Eviction Risk: Moderate

Greenwood County, South Carolina scores 5.3/10 (Moderate) for eviction risk, placing it 7th of 46 counties in the state, meaning only 6 counties carry more risk for landlords while 39 are considered more landlord-friendly. Across the county's 8 cities, individual scores range from 4 to 5.4, a spread wide enough that the county average alone tells only part of the story. With an average rent of $845, a rent-burden rate of 31.5%, and a renter share of 51.8%, the market carries real tenant financial pressure that investors should factor into vacancy and collections assumptions.

The 26.5% poverty rate is a significant operating variable. When a quarter of residents live below the poverty line, lease-up competition can be brisk in the lower rent tiers, but so can the frequency of late and partial payments. Landlords operating here should underwrite conservatively on collections and plan for the realistic costs that come with a contested eviction rather than assuming the best-case timeline.

The cities inside Greenwood County

The city of Greenwood is the county's population center at 22,536 residents and also carries the highest risk score at 5.4/10, driven by the concentration of cost-burdened and lower-income renters in a densely populated urban core. Ninety Six, with a population of 2,521, scores 5/10, still in the moderate range but noticeably less pressured than the county seat. Ware Shoals comes in at 4.7/10, and the very small communities of Hodges, Promised Land, and Coronaca each score 4.1/10. Troy, the lowest in the county, sits at 4/10. Risk is genuinely hyper-local here: an investor buying in Troy faces a materially different profile than one buying in Greenwood, even though both properties fall under the same county courthouse and the same state statutes.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord operating in Greenwood County is governed by South Carolina eviction laws state law under S.C. Code § 27-40 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). For non-payment of rent, the required notice period is 5 days. A lease-violation notice that allows for cure requires 14 days, and a no-cause end-of-term notice requires 30 days. South Carolina does not require just cause for eviction, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so Greenwood County landlords are not exposed to local rent caps. Court filing fees run $110 to $200, sheriff lockout fees add $25 to $100, and attorney fees for a contested case typically range from $500 to $2,500. An uncontested matter can resolve in 21 to 45 days; a contested case stretches to 45 to 100 days. Landlords unfamiliar with the South Carolina eviction process should review those timelines carefully before acquiring rental assets here, since a drawn-out contested case can consume two to three months of rent at the county's average of $845. Likewise, understanding South Carolina eviction costs in full, including the sheriff and attorney components, is essential for accurate due-diligence underwriting. Landlords must provide tenants at least 24 hours notice before entry under S.C. Code § 27-40-440.

With 51.8% of residents renting and a poverty rate of 26.5%, the tenant pool in Greenwood County is large but financially stretched; review each city's individual score in the grid above to identify where within the county your risk exposure actually sits.