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Buying a home in Little River, South Carolina

The typical owner-occupied home in Little River is worth about $305,800, 18% above the South Carolina median of $259,000 and 8% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $960 a year in property taxes, about 0.31% of their home's value, lower than the South Carolina rate of 0.48%. The median household earns $65,786 a year, so the median home costs 4.6 times the median income (3.7 times for South Carolina). 77% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 54% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Little River at a glance

Little River South Carolina U.S.
Median home value $305,800 $259,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $960 $1,251 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.31% 0.48% 0.94%
Median household income $65,786 $69,324 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 77% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 54% 57% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,464 $1,529 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 24.3% 19.7% 21.0%
Median rent $1,528 $1,180 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 33.2% 31.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1996 1992 1980
Vacant homes 29.5% 13.3% 10.1%
Population 11,771 5,296,225 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Little River

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Little River home of $305,800 with 20% down costs about $1,852 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,362, 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 $79,377 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 34% of the median Little River household income of $65,786; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $253,000.

The median rent here is $1,528 a month, so owning the median home costs about $324 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$61,160
Loan amount$244,640
Principal and interest$1,646
Property taxes (0.31% a year)$79
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$127
PMI$0
Total per month$1,852

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,703
Loan amount$300,261
Principal and interest$2,020
Property taxes (0.31% a year)$79
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$127
FHA mortgage insurance$135
Total per month$2,362

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Questions about home buying in Little River

What is the median home value in Little River?

About $305,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Little River?

Homeowners pay a median $960 a year, which is about 0.31% 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 Little River?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,852 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $79,377 a year.

More about Little River

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