1st Advantage MortgageYork County households have a median income of $89,095 and median rent of $1,387 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Use those as context only. A lender looks at your own documented income and debts; compare APR and total repaid on every York County offer.
On this page
- York County, SC: the basics
- Where York County households live
- What York County households earn
- What stands out in York County
- Employment and commuting in York County
- Places inside York County
- York County, Chester County and other neighbors
- York County demographics against South Carolina
- Before borrowing in York County
- What a median York County budget can carry
- A York County borrower's checklist
- Who licenses lenders for York County residents
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
York County, SC: the basics
With an estimated 293,673 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), York County ranks 7th of 46 in South Carolina for population. It covers 681 square miles of land, or about 432 people per square mile. Metro area: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (OMB, 2023). Rock Hill is the biggest of its 15 Census places, at roughly 75,259 people (26% of the county total).
Where York County households live
York County rent at the median: $1,387 a month, utilities in ($1,180 in South Carolina). Cost-burdened renters, paying 30%-plus of income: 51% in York County, 52% statewide. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $361,300, about 4.1 times the median household income. In York County, 75% of occupied homes are owned by the people living in them.
| Measure | York County | South Carolina | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile homes | 8.7% | 14.2% | -5.6 pts |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 26% | -4.6 pts |
| Median home value | $361,300 | $259,000 | 39% higher |
| Owners | 75% | 72% | +2.7 pts |
| Median gross rent | $1,387/mo | $1,180/mo | 18% higher |
| Rent-burdened renters | 51% | 52% | -1.5 pts |
Because most York County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral. Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
What York County households earn
Half of York County households take in less than $89,095 a year and half take in more, 29% above the South Carolina median of $69,324.
| Households earning | York County | +/- vs South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 16.5% | -8.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 38.8% | -3.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 30.7% | +6.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 13.9% | +5.0 pts |
Some 17% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 45% have six-figure incomes. York County counts about 24,571 residents below the poverty line, 8.4% of the population. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.433 here. For a borrower in York County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
What stands out in York County
Out of every South Carolina county, York County is most unusual on these measures.
- Few South Carolina counties match York County on the poverty rate: 8.4% here, 14.1% for the state, ranking the lowest of 46. Even here, a fee-first loan offer is a scam.
- On median household income, York County sits near the top of South Carolina at $89,095, the highest of 46. A high county median can hide a wide spread, so budget from your own pay.
- The housing vacancy rate: 6% in York County, the lowest of 46 in South Carolina. Low vacancy tends to push rents up over time.
Employment and commuting in York County
Top York County industry by residents employed: education and health care, 20%; second, professional and administrative services, 12%. Finance, insurance and real estate stands out: 10% of workers here, versus 6% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for York County averages 4.1% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.9%). 23% of York County workers get to work in under 15 minutes, while 20% need 45 or more. No car: 3.7% of York County households.
| Sector | York County | Compared with South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.8% | -2.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 12.5% | +0.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12.4% | -0.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.5% | -0.7 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 10.0% | +3.8 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.6% | -1.5 pts |
Self-employed in York County? Two years of tax returns usually stand in for pay stubs.
Places inside York County
171,994 of York County's 293,673 residents live in its 15 Census places (59%); the 14 largest are listed. Baxter Village ($151,629) and York ($56,176) mark the top and bottom of York County's income range among larger places. Rent is cheapest in Riverview ($677) and steepest in Lake Wylie ($1,710). Linked names have their own city guide; this page covers every other York County community.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Hill | city | 75,259 | $68,771 | $1,341 | 10 mi |
| Fort Mill | town | 30,775 | $121,823 | $1,503 | 14 mi |
| Lake Wylie | CDP | 16,006 | $112,097 | $1,710 | 11 mi |
| Tega Cay | city | 13,615 | $142,000 | $1,408 | 11 mi |
| York | city | 8,969 | $56,176 | $896 | 3 mi |
| Clover | town | 7,234 | $85,450 | $841 | 10 mi |
| Baxter Village | CDP | 4,542 | $151,629 | $1,345 | 12 mi |
| Newport | CDP | 4,121 | $110,417 | n/a | 6 mi |
| India Hook | CDP | 3,960 | $106,667 | $1,196 | 9 mi |
| Lesslie | CDP | 3,077 | $100,618 | $780 | 15 mi |
| Riverview | CDP | 2,121 | $135,782 | $677 | 11 mi |
| Catawba | CDP | 1,071 | $59,632 | n/a | 18 mi |
| Hickory Grove | town | 528 | $59,875 | $1,091 | 13 mi |
| Sharon | town | 431 | n/a | $875 | 9 mi |
York County, Chester County and other neighbors
Six nearby counties, 19 to 33 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $41,621 in Union County to $87,005 in Mecklenburg County; none of these neighbors top York County's median. The list crosses into North Carolina, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| York County | - | $89,095 | $1,387/mo | 75% |
| Chester County, SC | 19 mi | $52,458 | $853/mo | 78% |
| Gaston County, NC | 22 mi | $67,478 | $1,153/mo | 67% |
| Cherokee County, SC | 25 mi | $50,288 | $869/mo | 74% |
| Mecklenburg County, NC | 27 mi | $87,005 | $1,627/mo | 55% |
| Union County, SC | 31 mi | $41,621 | $804/mo | 71% |
| Cleveland County, NC | 33 mi | $58,534 | $914/mo | 71% |
York County demographics against South Carolina
Degree holders: 39% of adults over 25. Health coverage gaps: 7.6% of York County residents are uninsured.
| People and households | York County | Compared with South Carolina | Compared with median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's or higher | 39.3% | +7.2 pts | +17.1 pts |
| Work from home | 17.5% | +6.0 pts | +8.8 pts |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | -5.7 pts | -4.8 pts |
| No high school diploma | 7.4% | -2.5 pts | n/a |
| No vehicle | 3.7% | -2.0 pts | -1.8 pts |
| No health insurance | 7.6% | -2.0 pts | -0.2 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.1% | -0.7 pts | -0.3 pts |
| Median age | 39.7 | -0.5 yrs | -1.8 yrs |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 22.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 36.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 20.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 11.6% |
| 60+ min | 8.1% |
Before borrowing in York County
Based on the York County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- 20% long commutes. A York County repair bill is often urgent; compare the shop's financing with a loan in writing.
- Six-figure budgets. For the 45% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- Rent squeeze. 51% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
What a median York County budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a York County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Median income divided by twelve: $7,425 before taxes
- Less median rent of $1,387, which is 19% of it
- Under a 36% cap, $2,673 total minus rent leaves $1,286
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,806 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Homeowners in York County should swap in their mortgage, taxes and insurance for rent.
A York County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Who licenses lenders for York County residents
Consumer lenders serving York County are licensed by the state, not the county; in South Carolina that is the South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions. For consumer-credit complaints, South Carolina residents can also contact the Consumer Finance Division of the State Board of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. The South Carolina page has statewide figures to set beside York County's.
Nearby and statewide guides
Guides that cover parts of York County:
Frequently asked questions
Is York County a high-income county?
Its $89,095 median ranks 1st of 46 South Carolina counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
Can a York County renter afford a loan payment?
At the $1,387 median rent and $7,425 median monthly income, rent alone uses 19%; add other debts before a new payment.
How many towns are in York County?
The Census Bureau counts 15 places mainly in the county, led by Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Lake Wylie, Tega Cay, York.
Are York County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Who regulates personal lenders for York County residents?
The South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in South Carolina; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.