Cost of Living in Lexington
Lexington's cost of living reflects its more affluent, suburban-family character -- the highest housing and rent costs among the four SC markets in this wave (Zillow's $303,292 typical value, $1,523/month average rent) -- offset by South Carolina's real two-bracket income tax and the LOWEST combined sales tax rate (7%) among these four markets.
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Learn moreHousing: the priciest of the four SC markets in this wave, with a real disclosed spread
Zillow's typical home value for Lexington was cited at $303,292 (up 2.1% YoY), Redfin's median sale price at $368,000 (up 10.7% YoY), RealtyTrac's median estimated value at $311,506, and Lexington County's own median listing price (FRED, July 2026) at $327,950. These figures disagree on the precise number but agree Lexington is the most expensive of these four SC markets by a real, meaningful margin.
Rent runs highest among these four markets, alongside notably higher homeownership
Lexington's average rent was cited at $1,523/month (down 1.9% YoY) -- the highest among these four SC markets. Lexington also shows a notably higher owner-occupied housing share (66% vs. 34% renter-occupied) than a typical rental-heavy market, a real signal of its suburban-family character where homeownership is the norm.
South Carolina's real two-bracket income tax and Lexington's lowest-in-this-wave sales tax
South Carolina applies a genuine two-bracket income tax for 2026 under Act 110: 1.99% on the first $30,000 of taxable income, 5.21% above that. Lexington's combined sales tax is 7% (6% state + 1% county local-option) -- the LOWEST among the four SC markets in this wave, where Sumter, Florence, and Aiken all cite 8%. See taxes for the full breakdown.
Property taxes run below the SC statewide average, similar to Sumter and Aiken
Lexington County's effective property tax rate (~0.49%) sits below South Carolina's own statewide average (0.51%-0.54%) -- similar to Sumter (~0.53%) and Aiken (~0.48%), though above Florence's own (~0.42%), the lowest among these four markets.
Key takeaways
- Lexington runs the highest housing costs among the four SC markets in this wave under every source consulted ($303,292-$368,000 depending on source).
- Rent averages $1,523/month, the highest among these four markets, alongside a notably higher owner-occupied housing share (66%).
- South Carolina's real two-bracket income tax (1.99%/5.21% for 2026) applies statewide; Lexington's 7% combined sales tax is the LOWEST among these four SC markets.
- Lexington County's effective property tax rate (~0.49%) sits below South Carolina's own statewide average.
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