Johnsonville is home to the best residential real estate investment market in South Carolina.
The 29555 zip code in Johnsonville presents the greatest opportunity for the best real estate investments among the 2,136 individual real estate markets in South Carolina we evaluated. We looked at property values, population trends, and six other metrics for each market. We used that data to calculate each market's InvestScore.
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Data sources
Most of the data in this article comes from the Zillow Home Value Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey.
We update our data when the original sources update their data, usually monthly. Sometimes we'll update data more frequently.
Clever also performs regular quality checks to identify outdated data, broken data connections, and other data issues that may arise.
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5 best places to invest in South Carolina
| Rank | City | InvestScore | Affordability | Property value appreciation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnsonville | 100 | 3.5 | 29.52% |
| 2 | Ninety Six | 98.1 | 2.3 | 21.97% |
| 3 | Cayce | 97.8 | 3.5 | 34.49% |
| 4 | Dalzell | 97.2 | 3.3 | 32.00% |
| 5 | Honea Path | 91.4 | 3.9 | 30.43% |
🚨 This article is for informational purposes only. It isn't intended to convey financial or legal advice. We recommend you talk to a real estate agent or real estate attorney when buying a home in South Carolina.
1. Johnsonville
We've identified the 29555 zip code in Johnsonville as South Carolina's best real estate investment market. Here's why.
🔎 Key data about Johnsonville (29555)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,136 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 100 | Highest |
| Typical property value | $150,192[1] | 17th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 29.52%[2] | 72nd highest |
| Household income | $43,011[3] | 200th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 3.5 | 42nd most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 2.89%[4] | 73rd highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.80%[5] | 7th lowest |
| Property taxes | $452[6] | 4th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 13.20%[7] | 158th highest |
Johnsonville (zip code 29555) is the best residential real estate investment market in South Carolina. It has the 72nd highest property value appreciation among markets we evaluated, with a 29.52% appreciation of the typical property over the last five years.
Johnsonville is the 42nd most affordable market among the 2,136 South Carolina markets we evaluated, with an affordability ratio of 3.5.
2. Ninety Six
The 29666 zip code in Ninety Six is the runner-up spot for the best real estate investments in South Carolina.
🔎 Key data about Ninety Six (29666)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,136 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 98.1 | 2nd highest |
| Typical property value | $170,508[1] | 30th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 21.97%[2] | 136th highest |
| Household income | $73,571[3] | 69th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.3 | 2nd most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 2.12%[4] | 91st highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.20%[5] | 5th lowest |
| Property taxes | $911[6] | 77th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 28.30%[7] | 82nd highest |
The 29666 zip code in Ninety Six features a typical property value of $170,508, the 30th lowest in the state.
Property values have appreciated 21.97% over the past five years, the 136th highest increase among evaluated markets in the state. Ninety Six homes have an affordability ratio of 2.3, the 2nd most affordable in the state.
3. Cayce
The 29033 zip code in Cayce comes in at No. 3 in our ranking of the best residential real estate investment markets in South Carolina.
🔎 Key data about Cayce (29033)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,136 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 97.8 | 3rd highest |
| Typical property value | $211,537[1] | 59th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 34.49%[2] | 31st highest |
| Household income | $61,237[3] | 119th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 3.5 | 40th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | -1.03%[4] | 158th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.20%[5] | 5th lowest |
| Property taxes | $825[6] | 62nd lowest |
| Educational attainment | 31.20%[7] | 72nd highest |
With a typical property value of $211,537, Cayce's 29033 zip code features the 59th lowest property values in the state.
Cayce homes have an affordability ratio of 3.5, the 40th most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
4. Dalzell
The 29040 zip code in Dalzell ranks No. 4 among South Carolina's residential real estate investment markets.
🔎 Key data about Dalzell (29040)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,136 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 97.2 | 4th highest |
| Typical property value | $217,065[1] | 64th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 32.00%[2] | 45th highest |
| Household income | $65,978[3] | 45th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 3.3 | 22nd most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 0.16%[4] | 137th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 5.40%[5] | 8th lowest |
| Property taxes | $881[6] | 72nd lowest |
| Educational attainment | 19.50%[7] | 123rd highest |
Property values in Dalzell's 29040 zip code have seen the 45th highest increase among evaluated markets in the state, with an appreciation of 32.00% over the past five years.
Dalzell's affordability ratio of 3.3 makes it the 22nd most affordable among the 2,136 markets we evaluated.
5. Honea Path
The 29654 zip code in Honea Path rounds out our top five residential real estate investment markets in South Carolina.
🔎 Key data about Honea Path (29654)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,136 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 91.4 | 5th highest |
| Typical property value | $227,655[1] | 75th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 30.43%[2] | 55th highest |
| Household income | $58,079[3] | 55th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 3.9 | 84th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 10.97%[4] | 4th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 3.90%[5] | 3rd lowest |
| Property taxes | $857[6] | 68th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 14.30%[7] | 151st highest |
Property values in Honea Path's 29654 zip code rose 30.43% over the last five years, ranking the city 55th highest among evaluated markets in South Carolina.
Honea Path homes have an affordability ratio of 3.9, the 84th most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
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Frequently asked questions
See our article Steps to Buying Your First Rental Property to learn the basics of real estate investing for beginners.
You'll learn the importance of setting goals, picking the right market, and more.
Cash investors often use what's called the 70% rule, which suggests they should pay around 70% of a house's after-repair value minus the cost of renovations.
By buying for about 70% of the after-repair value, they're positioning themselves to pay for repairs and other costs, and to lock in a profit.
The 70% rule isn’t a hard-and-fast formula, but a quick guideline investors use to evaluate potential deals.
Investing in residential real estate can be one of the best passive real estate investments in South Carolina.
Residential real estate offers accessible passive income and the potential to compound your original investment.
Renting out residential units is the top way to invest in real estate. House hacking also offers a great opportunity for passive real estate investment income.
How we rank residential real estate markets in South Carolina
To determine the best real estate investments in South Carolina we evaluated 2,136 markets on eight metrics, and then assigned an InvestScore based on a proprietary weighting framework. Each market corresponds to a specific zip code in South Carolina.
What is InvestScore?
InvestScore is a score on a scale of 0 (worst in state) to 100 (best in state) that estimates the residential real estate investment potential of a given market. It takes into account a suite of key data points for each city.
- Typical property value: This measures the typical home value in this zip code, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. It reflects the typical value for homes in the 35th to 65th percentile range, including all homes, with the numbers smoothed and seasonally adjusted. We prefer lower property values, which indicate both more room for growth and a greater ease of purchase.
- Property value appreciation: This measures how much property values have increased in the area over the past five years, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. We prefer a higher appreciation, as it indicates better returns on housing. However, past performance isn't indicative of future results.
- Median household income: This is the inflation-adjusted median household income in the zip code, according to U.S. Census American Community Survey data. We prefer a higher household income, as it indicates local residents have more income to spend on housing.
- Affordability ratio: This is the ratio of the typical home value to the median household income in the area. A lower ratio is better because it means more households can afford a home, which indicates higher demand.
- Population growth: This is how much the area's population has grown over the past five years, according to U.S. Census estimates. Higher is better, as it indicates residents are moving into the area at a rapid clip.
- Unemployment rate: This is the unemployment rate in the area, according to U.S. Census data. We prefer a lower rate, as it indicates the availability of steady employment in the area, meaning residents will find it much easier to afford homes.
- Property tax: This is the median real estate property tax paid in the area, according to U.S. Census estimates.
- Educational attainment: This is the percentage of residents in the area that have obtained a bachelor's degree or better, according to U.S. Census estimates. We prefer a higher rate because it indicates local residents who have higher earning potential and thus should be able to afford homes.
