South Carolina mortgage calculator

This mortgage calculator will help you estimate the costs of your mortgage loan. Get a clear breakdown of your potential mortgage payments with taxes and insurance included.
South Carolina housing market
South Carolina, the Palmetto State, has seen home prices rise by 7.9% in the last year, but South Carolina homes are still the 14th most affordable in the country. House expenses in South Carolina such as utilities and insurance are also quite reasonable at just under 19% of monthly income. While the state is known for the charm of Charleston and the vacation homes of Myrtle Beach, it is also known by some for is mythical lake monster, Messie, who resides in Lake Murray.
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Your monthly payment
$1,978
30 year fixed loan term
Principal and Interest
$1,542



What rate will you likely qualify for?Get personalized mortgage rates.
Principal and Interest
$1,542



What rate will you likely qualify for?Get personalized mortgage rates.
Compare common loan types
Total principal: $240,000
Loan Term
30-year fixed
Your Input
15-year fixed30-year fixed
Total Monthly Payment$1,978$2,442$1,978
Mortgage Rate6.661%5.851%*6.661%*
Total interest paid$315,287$121,078$315,287
* Data source: ©Zillow, Inc. 2006 - 2024. Use is subject to the Terms of Use
Amortization
See how your payments change over time for your 30-year fixed loan term
At year 0
30 year fixed loan term

Remaining
$240,000
Principal Paid
$0
Interest Paid
$0
Year 0
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Years

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Principal and Interest
$1,542

Loan term

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South Carolina mortgage and refinance rates today (APR)

ProductInterest rateAPR
30-year fixed-rate6.656%6.736%
20-year fixed-rate6.380%6.475%
15-year fixed-rate5.771%5.910%
10-year fixed-rate5.638%5.791%
7-year ARM6.918%7.576%
5-year ARM6.700%7.685%
30-year fixed-rate FHA5.656%6.442%
30-year fixed-rate VA5.683%6.066%

Data source: ©Zillow, Inc. 2006 – 2021. Use is subject to the Terms of Use

Today's rate

6.736%
30-year fixed

Today’s mortgage rates in South Carolina are 6.736% for a 30-year fixed, 5.910% for a 15-year fixed, and 7.685% for a 5-year adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM).

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South Carolina's first-time home buyer programs

The South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority, SC Housing, offers several loan programs to help qualified first-time home buyers get a mortgage.

Repayable down payment assistance

State program

Best for

Down payment assistance

Closing cost assistance

What you need to know

In conjunction with the loan programs made available by SC Housing, down payment and closing cost assistance is provided to qualified borrowers. For households earning above 80% of the median area income, repayable assistance up to $6,000 is available. The loan is a second mortgage with a 2%...

See full article

South Carolina's best mortgage lenders

NerdWallet has done the work for you to pick the best financing partner for you in South Carolina.

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Average property tax in South Carolina counties

Taking U.S. Census data, NerdWallet has crunched the numbers to help you understand what property tax rate you can expect to pay on your future home in South Carolina. Because assessed values aren’t frequently updated, you may pay a higher rate at first but eventually you’ll pay a similar rate.

CountyAvg. property tax rateAvg. home value
Abbeville County0.58%$92,600
Aiken County0.48%$144,600
Allendale County0.44%$52,100
Anderson County0.59%$142,600
Bamberg County0.6%$65,800
Barnwell County0.54%$76,200
Beaufort County0.52%$305,300
Berkeley County0.55%$184,500
Calhoun County0.47%$103,900
Charleston County0.48%$330,300
Cherokee County0.44%$94,300
Chester County0.58%$88,900
Chesterfield County0.45%$81,200
Clarendon County0.55%$89,900
Colleton County0.58%$84,600
Darlington County0.44%$85,500
Dillon County0.42%$67,200
Dorchester County0.71%$203,900
Edgefield County0.5%$123,000
Fairfield County0.58%$101,100
Florence County0.46%$129,700
Georgetown County0.47%$178,600
Greenville County0.64%$182,300
Greenwood County0.63%$129,400
Hampton County0.86%$75,400
Horry County0.42%$176,400
Jasper County0.6%$130,700
Kershaw County0.47%$119,300
Lancaster County0.56%$187,700
Laurens County0.48%$87,000
Lee County0.63%$69,800
Lexington County0.54%$159,500
Marion County0.53%$75,800
Marlboro County0.51%$60,500
McCormick County0.57%$116,600
Newberry County0.59%$99,700
Oconee County0.45%$160,800
Orangeburg County0.59%$92,800
Pickens County0.51%$154,800
Richland County0.74%$168,200
Saluda County0.58%$93,100
Spartanburg County0.64%$136,500
Sumter County0.57%$123,500
Union County0.62%$75,600
Williamsburg County0.61%$68,400
York County0.62%$199,400

Source: American Communities Survey 2016, U.S. Census

How to calculate a mortgage payment


Under "Home price," enter the price (if you're buying) or the current value (if you're refinancing). NerdWallet also has a refinancing calculator.

Under "Down payment," enter the amount of your down payment (if you’re buying) or the amount of equity you have (if refinancing). A down payment is the cash you pay upfront for a home, and home equity is the value of the home, minus what you owe.

On desktop, under "Interest rate" (to the right), enter the rate. Under "Loan term," click the plus and minus signs to adjust the length of the mortgage in years.

On mobile devices, tap "Refine Results" to find the field to enter the rate and use the plus and minus signs to select the "Loan term."

You may enter your own figures for property taxes, homeowners insurance and homeowners association fees, if you don’t wish to use NerdWallet’s estimates. Edit these figures by clicking on the amount currently displayed.

The mortgage calculator lets you click "Compare common loan types" to view a comparison of different loan terms. Click "Amortization" to see how the principal balance, principal paid (equity) and total interest paid change year by year. On mobile devices, scroll down to see "Amortization."

Formula for calculating a mortgage payment


The mortgage payment calculation looks like this: M = P [ i(1 + i)^n ] / [ (1 + i)^n – 1]

The variables are as follows:

  • M = monthly mortgage payment

  • P = the principal amount

  • i = your monthly interest rate. Your lender likely lists interest rates as an annual figure, so you’ll need to divide by 12, for each month of the year. So, if your rate is 5%, then the monthly rate will look like this: 0.05/12 = 0.004167.

  • n = the number of payments over the life of the loan. If you take out a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, this means: n = 30 years x 12 months per year, or 360 payments.

How a mortgage calculator helps you


Determining what your monthly house payment will be is an important part of figuring out how much house you can afford. That monthly payment is likely to be the biggest part of your cost of living.

Using NerdWallet’s mortgage calculator lets you estimate your mortgage payment when you buy a home or refinance. You can change loan details in the calculator to run scenarios. The calculator can help you decide:

  • The home loan term length that’s right for you. 30-year fixed-rate mortgage lower your monthly payment, but you’ll pay more interest over the life of the loan. A 15-year fixed-rate mortgage reduce the total interest you'll pay, but your monthly payment will be higher. c

  • If an ARM is a good option. Adjustable-rate mortgages start with a "teaser" interest rate, and then the loan rate changes — higher or lower — over time. A 5/1 ARM can be a good choice, particularly if you plan on being in a home for just a few years. You’ll want to be aware of how much your monthly mortgage payment can change when the introductory rate expires, especially if interest rates are trending higher.

  • If you’re buying too much home. The mortgage payment calculator can give you a reality check on how much you can expect to pay each month, especially when considering all the costs, including taxes, insurance and private mortgage insurance.

  • If you’re putting enough money down. With minimum down payments commonly as low as 3%, it's easier than ever to put just a little money down. The mortgage payment calculator can help you decide what the best down payment may be for you.

How lenders decide how much you can afford to borrow


Mortgage lenders are required to assess your ability to repay the amount you want to borrow. A lot of factors go into that assessment, and the main one is debt-to-income ratio.

Your debt-to-income ratio is the percentage of pretax income that goes toward monthly debt payments, including the mortgage, car payments, student loans, minimum credit card payments and child support. Lenders look most favorably on debt-to-income ratios of 36% or less — or a maximum of $1,800 a month on an income of $5,000 a month before taxes.

Typical costs included in a mortgage payment


If your mortgage payment included just principal and interest, you could use a bare-bones mortgage calculator. But most mortgage payments include other charges as well. Here are the key components of the monthly mortgage payment:

  • Principal: This is the amount you borrow. Each mortgage payment reduces the principal you owe.

  • Interest: What the lender charges you to lend you the money. Interest rates are expressed as an annual percentage.

  • Property taxes: The annual tax assessed by a government authority on your home and land. You pay about one-twelfth of your annual tax bill with each mortgage payment, and the servicer saves them in an escrow account. When the taxes are due, the loan servicer pays them.

  • Homeowners insurance: Your policy covers damage and financial losses from fire, storms, theft, a tree falling on your house and other bad things. As with property taxes, you pay roughly one-twelfth of your annual premium each month, and the servicer pays the bill when it's due.

  • Mortgage insurance: If your down payment is less than 20% of the home’s purchase price, you’ll likely pay mortgage insurance. It protects the lender’s interest in case a borrower defaults on a mortgage. Once the equity in your property increases to 20%, the mortgage insurance is canceled, unless you have an FHA loan backed by the Federal Housing Administration.

Typically, when you belong to a homeowners association, the dues are billed directly, and it's not added to the monthly mortgage payment. Because HOA dues can be easy to forget, they're included in NerdWallet's mortgage calculator.

Reducing monthly mortgage payments


The mortgage calculator lets you test scenarios to see how you can reduce the monthly payments:

  • Extend the term (the number of years it will take to pay off the loan). With a longer term, your payment will be lower but you’ll pay more interest over the years. Review your amortization schedule to see the impact of extending your loan.

  • Buy less house. Taking out a smaller loan means a smaller monthly mortgage payment.

  • Avoid paying PMI. With a down payment of 20% or more, you won’t have to pay private mortgage insurance. Similarly, keeping at least 20% equity in the home lets you avoid PMI when you refinance.

  • Get a lower interest rate. Making a larger down payment can not only let you avoid PMI, but reduce your interest rate, too. That means a lower monthly mortgage payment.

Monthly mortgage payments can go up


Your monthly payment can go up over time if:

  • Property taxes or homeowners insurance premiums rise. These costs are included in most mortgage payments.

  • You incur a late payment fee from your mortgage loan servicer.

  • You have an adjustable-rate mortgage and the rate rises at the adjustment period.