Is $30,000 a good salary in South Carolina?
Percentile, take-home pay, rent burden, and comparable jobs for South Carolina - the full picture, not just a number.
$30,000 in South Carolina is a below-median household income - the 20th percentile of South Carolina households in the Census ACS 2024 distribution (17th nationally). A single filer keeps about $25,184 after federal, South Carolina state, and FICA taxes - roughly $2,099/mo at a 16% effective rate. Statewide median rent takes 50% of gross - cost-burdened by the HUD 30% standard, and metro areas run higher.
South Carolina household income distribution (ACS 2024)
South Carolina's own published cut-points - where $30,000 sits is highlighted. These are the actual Census quintile thresholds for South Carolina, not the national distribution rescaled.
| Percentile | Band | Household income |
|---|---|---|
| 20th percentile | Bottom 20% | $30,584 |
| 40th percentile | Lower-middle | $57,113 |
| 50th percentile (median) | Median household | $72,350 |
| 60th percentile | Upper-middle | $89,540 |
| 80th percentile | Top 20% starts | $142,452 |
| 95th percentile (top 5%) | Top 5% starts | $250,001 |
$30,000 clears the below the 20th percentile threshold in South Carolina - placing it at the 20th percentile of state households.
Take-home pay on $30,000 in South Carolina
| Gross income | $30,000 |
| Federal income tax | −$1,562 |
| South Carolina state income tax | −$960 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$1,860 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$435 |
| Take-home (net) | $25,184 |
That's about $2,099/month net, an effective tax rate of 16.1%. South Carolina's average combined sales tax is 7.44%, charged on taxable spending out of that net - a consumption cost on top of the income tax above.
Single filer, 2025 federal brackets + standard deduction. State tax uses South Carolina's top/flat marginal rate, so in progressive-bracket states (e.g. California, New York) the state line is an upper bound and your actual net is likely a little higher. Married-filing-jointly and pre-tax 401(k)/health deductions also change the result. Estimate only - South Carolina take-home detail →
Occupations near $30,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $30,000 - gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Customer service rep | entry-level | $30,000 |
| Office clerk | entry-level | $30,000 |
| Cashier | mid-career | $29,720 |
| Firefighter | entry-level | $31,000 |
| Construction laborer | entry-level | $32,000 |
| Retail salesperson | mid-career | $33,990 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $30,000 typically means a customer service rep or comparable role. Above-median earner status in South Carolina.
Two earners at $15,000 each combined = $30,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $30,000 earner.
Lifestyle context - rent burden in South Carolina
At $30,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 50% of income - HUD-defined cost-burdened. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $30,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $30,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $80,944. South Carolina median home value is $240,500 - you can afford 34% of the median home, so buying requires lower-priced markets, a larger down payment, or co-buying.
How $30,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in South Carolina's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina (current) | $72,350 | -59% | 20th |
| North Carolina | $73,958 | -59% | 19th |
| Georgia | $79,991 | -62% | 18th |
$30,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in South Carolina
Common questions
- Is $30,000 a good household income in South Carolina?
- It sits at roughly the 20th percentile of South Carolina households in the state's own Census ACS 2024 income distribution (South Carolina median $72,350). Nationally that's about the 17th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living - state figures smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $30,000 compare to the South Carolina median?
- It's 59% below the South Carolina median household income of $72,350 (Census ACS 2024, table B19013). Half of South Carolina households earn less than $72,350, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household - household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Many rescale one national curve by a state median; we instead read the percentile directly from South Carolina's own published ACS 2024 B19080 quintile cut-points, so the state ranking reflects that state's actual income spread. Incomes above the 95th-percentile cut-point show as "top 5%+" because the Census top-codes that threshold.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.
Estimate only - not financial advice. Percentiles are interpolated from US Census Bureau ACS household income distribution tables and describe where an income falls nationally - they are not a judgment of what you should earn or financial advice. Cost of living varies widely by state and metro.
Reviewed by R. Bennett, Editor · editorial policy