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Utica, SC Eviction Risk Score Oconee County · South Carolina · Pop. 1,339

Updated
● Elevated Risk

Utica, SC sits at 6.2/10 — Elevated risk. 43.1% rent burden, 47.6% renters, ~40-day typical timeline.

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Score vs. benchmarks
Utica
6.2
Oconee County
4.7
South Carolina avg
5.6
National avg
4.4
18.5%Tenant-law probabilityi
$1,492–4,194Typical eviction costi
40 daysTypical timelinei
10.97%Filing ratei
$977HUD 2BR FMR '25i
$1,073Median renti
43.1%Rent burdeni
47.6%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
3.4
Regional political climatei
3.4
State political climate
2.1
Economic stressi
6.0
Supply constrainti
8.1
Rent-control riski
9.4
Eviction process difficulty
1.9
Tenant organizing strengthi
9.4
Housing court bias
8.4
Eviction filing rate (ground truth)i
8.9
Voucher gap (market vs HUD FMR)i
0.0
Own rentals in or near Utica?
Free consultation — local rent-control exposure, notice requirements, and eviction defense risk.

About eviction risk in Utica, SC

Utica, SC has an eviction risk score of 6.2 out of 10, placing it in the elevated-risk tier for landlords operating in Oconee 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 43.1% — 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 Utica is $1,073/month. About 47.6% of occupied units here are renter-occupied.

Economic stress: poverty rate 17.2%, unemployment 2.8%. Higher values correlate with higher eviction filing rates and longer court timelines.

Political climate: In 2020, Oconee County voted Republican by 47.4 points — classified as strongly landlord-leaning for purposes of rent-control or just-cause expansion risk.

What this score means for landlords

At 6.2/10, Utica is an elevated-risk environment. Tenant protections are stronger than the national median. Use proactive screening, document notices in writing, and understand your specific just-cause and rent-cap exposure before raising rent or terminating a tenancy.

Nearby Cities — Eviction Risk Comparison

City Distance Population Risk score
Seneca, SC 2.5 mi 8,993 6.0
Newry, SC 3.4 mi 412 4.0
Clemson University, SC 4.9 mi 7,015 4.8
Clemson, SC 6.4 mi 18,072 6.4
Pendleton, SC 8.5 mi 3,594 6.0
West Union, SC 8.9 mi 370 4.5
Central, SC 9 mi 5,320 6.0
La France, SC 9.5 mi 678 5.2

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