The typical owner-occupied home in Seneca is worth about $240,000, 7% below the South Carolina median of $259,000 and 28% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,175 a year in property taxes, about 0.49% of their home's value, close to the South Carolina rate of 0.48%. The median household earns $52,022 a year, so the median home costs 4.6 times the median income (3.7 times for South Carolina). 51% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 60% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Seneca at a glance
| Seneca | South Carolina | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $240,000 | $259,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,175 | $1,251 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.49% | 0.48% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $52,022 | $69,324 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 51% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 60% | 57% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,313 | $1,529 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 18.4% | 19.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $807 | $1,180 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.5% | 31.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1983 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 12.2% | 13.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 8,993 | 5,296,225 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Seneca
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Seneca home of $240,000 with 20% down costs about $1,490 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,889, 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 $63,840 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 34% of the median Seneca household income of $52,022; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $196,000.
The median rent here is $807 a month, so owning the median home costs about $683 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $48,000 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $192,000 |
| Principal and interest | $1,292 |
| Property taxes (0.49% a year) | $98 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $100 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,490 |
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| Down payment | $8,400 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $235,653 |
| Principal and interest | $1,585 |
| Property taxes (0.49% a year) | $98 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $100 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $106 |
| Total per month | $1,889 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Seneca
What is the median home value in Seneca?
About $240,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Seneca?
Homeowners pay a median $1,175 a year, which is about 0.49% 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 Seneca?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,490 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $63,840 a year.
More about Seneca
- Mortgage Refinance in Seneca
- Debt Relief in Seneca
- Home Equity Loans in Seneca
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
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