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Buying a home in Gaffney, South Carolina

The typical owner-occupied home in Gaffney is worth about $137,700, 47% below the South Carolina median of $259,000 and 59% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $756 a year in property taxes, about 0.55% of their home's value, higher than the South Carolina rate of 0.48%. The median household earns $41,089 a year, so the median home costs 3.4 times the median income (3.7 times for South Carolina). 51% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 53% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Gaffney at a glance

Gaffney South Carolina U.S.
Median home value $137,700 $259,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $756 $1,251 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.55% 0.48% 0.94%
Median household income $41,089 $69,324 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 51% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 53% 57% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,016 $1,529 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.9% 19.7% 21.0%
Median rent $887 $1,180 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.5% 31.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1975 1992 1980
Vacant homes 13.9% 13.3% 10.1%
Population 12,596 5,296,225 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Gaffney

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Gaffney home of $137,700 with 20% down costs about $862 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,091, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $36,923 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 25% of the median Gaffney household income of $41,089; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $153,000.

The median rent here is $887 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$27,540
Loan amount$110,160
Principal and interest$741
Property taxes (0.55% a year)$63
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$57
PMI$0
Total per month$862

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$4,820
Loan amount$135,206
Principal and interest$910
Property taxes (0.55% a year)$63
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$57
FHA mortgage insurance$61
Total per month$1,091

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Questions about home buying in Gaffney

What is the median home value in Gaffney?

About $137,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Gaffney?

Homeowners pay a median $756 a year, which is about 0.55% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Gaffney?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $862 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $36,923 a year.

More about Gaffney

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data