Lexington County, South Carolina Eviction Risk: Very Low

Lexington County scores 2.4/10 (Moderate) on the eviction-risk scale, landing it at rank 30 of 46 South Carolina eviction laws counties, meaning 29 counties statewide carry higher landlord risk and 16 are more landlord-friendly. That middle-of-the-pack position reflects a county that presents manageable operating conditions overall, but with enough pockets of stress, particularly around rent burden and tenant financial stability, to reward careful market selection before committing capital.

The county-wide average, however, conceals a meaningful spread. Scores across Lexington County's 21 cities range from 3.3 to 5.1, a gap that makes the difference between a broadly stable rental market and one where collections pressure and eviction exposure are noticeably elevated. With an average rent of $1,266 and a rent burden of 30.9% of renter income going to housing costs, affordability is stretched thin in some communities, which tends to translate directly into higher eviction risk for landlords holding lower-price-point product.

The cities inside Lexington County

Cayce eviction risk carries the highest eviction risk in the county at 5.1/10, a score that puts it at the top of the riskiest-cities list and, with a population of 13,741, makes it one of the larger markets in the county. West Columbia follows at 4.8/10 with a population of 17,963, making it both the second-riskiest and one of the most active rental markets in the area. Seven Oaks, at 4.7/10 and a population of 15,921, rounds out the upper tier. Landlords evaluating acquisitions in these three communities should stress-test underwriting assumptions against the elevated scores rather than using the county average as a proxy.

On the lower end, Oak Grove (4.2/10) and White Knoll (4.2/10) offer meaningfully better risk profiles, and Red Bank (4.3/10) is only marginally above them. Irmo scores 4.4/10. The spread between Cayce eviction risk and these lower-risk communities is nearly a full point, which is a substantial difference in eviction likelihood at scale. Risk in Lexington County is hyper-local, and a few miles of distance between properties can shift expected outcomes considerably.

State-level laws that apply here

South Carolina eviction laws landlord-tenant law, governed by S.C. Code § 27-40 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act), is relatively landlord-friendly compared to many states. For non-payment of rent, landlords must serve a 5-day notice before filing. A lease-violation cure notice requires 14 days, while a no-cause end-of-term notice requires 30 days. South Carolina eviction laws imposes no just-cause eviction requirement and, critically, state law preempts local rent control, so no municipality in Lexington County can cap what landlords charge. Understanding the South Carolina eviction laws eviction process matters here because timelines vary widely: uncontested cases resolve in 21 to 45 days, but contested cases can stretch to 45 to 100 days.

On the cost side, court filing fees run $110 to $200, sheriff lockout fees add $25 to $100, and attorney fees for eviction representation typically fall in the $500 to $2,500 range. South Carolina eviction costs can therefore reach several thousand dollars in a contested case once all components are added, which underscores why tenant screening and lease quality are the most effective risk-control tools available. South Carolina security deposit limits and South Carolina tenant protections are set at the state level with no local overrides permitted, so the framework is consistent across every city in the county.

With 30% of residents renting and a poverty rate of 11.8%, Lexington County's tenant base carries real financial fragility in some communities; review the city-by-city grid above to identify which specific markets fall above and below the county average before making acquisition decisions.