If you have been watching the Beaufort County rental market in October 2026, the latest numbers point in a familiar direction. Home prices are still climbing, and that keeps rental demand strong.
The median home sale price in Beaufort County is $573,716, up 4.6 percent from a year ago. That is a meaningful jump, and it means buying a home here takes more money than it did last year, not less. When prices keep moving up like this, more people get priced out of buying and stay in the rental market instead.
The buy side of the market is active too. Homes are selling in 74 days on average, two days faster than a year ago, and 443 homes sold this year, up 2.2 percent from last year. Slightly faster sales and more homes changing hands suggest buyers who are still in the market are moving with some confidence, even at these price levels. For a rental property owner, steady sales activity alongside rising prices is a sign the local market remains healthy, not a market that is cooling off and about to send a wave of new rental supply your way.
Home values are rising too, though more modestly. According to Zillow, the average home value in Beaufort is $412,433, up 1.1 percent over the past year. That is a smaller gain than the jump in sale prices above, which makes sense since the two numbers measure different things. The median sale price reflects what homes actually sold for this month, while the Zillow figure estimates the value of all homes in the area, sold or not. Either way, if you own a rental here, your property is likely still gaining value in the background while it earns you rent.
Source: Redfin and Zillow.
Days on Market: Beaufort County Leasing Activity
Days on market means how many days a rental sits open, from the day it is listed to the day a new tenant signs a lease. It is one of the clearest signs of how a rental market is behaving. A short number means renters are moving quickly. A long number means listings are sitting, which usually means an owner is losing rent every day that unit stays empty.
Across Beaufort County, the average rental takes 34 days to lease this month, according to RentalSource. That is a slightly longer pace than the past couple of months, but still a reasonable speed for the area, and it points to a rental market that continues to attract tenants at a steady clip.
For an owner, a number like this is a useful benchmark. If your own properties are leasing close to or faster than the county average, you are keeping pace with a market that is still moving. If a listing is sitting noticeably longer than that, it is usually worth a second look at pricing, photos, or how the unit is being marketed.
Source: RentalSource.
Beaufort County Rent Prices
| Property Size | Median Rent | Year Over Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,095 | Not reported |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,452 | +4% |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,844 | +1% |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,300 | +11% |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,525 | +5% |
Source: Zumper.
As a cross-reference, RentCafe puts the average rent in Beaufort at $1,689, down 5.22 percent from $1,782 a year ago. That is a wider gap than the Zumper numbers suggest, since every bedroom size Zumper tracked this month grew year over year, led by three bedroom units at 11 percent. The two sources are telling different stories again this month, which is common when they pull from different pools of listings.
What does this mean for an owner. Three and four bedroom units appear to be the strongest performers this month, with real year-over-year growth in demand. Smaller units held onto modest gains as well, even as RentCafe's broader average points down. Rent data can bounce around from month to month depending on what is actively listed, so a single month's number is less important than the overall direction. The buy side data from earlier still supports that direction. Home prices keep climbing in Beaufort County, which means fewer renters are leaving the market to buy, and that keeps the floor under local rents. If you are unsure how your own unit size is trending, a free Rental Analysis from Middleton Street ties current market data directly to your property and its location within the county.
Source: Zumper and RentCafe.
Middleton Street Property Management: Portfolio Performance
Rent trends across Beaufort County were mixed again this month, as the section above shows. Middleton Street's own portfolio did not have that problem. Rents on our managed properties grew 6.44 percent year over year.
That number holds up well against the wider market. RentCafe showed county-wide rents falling 5.22 percent over the same period, a sizable gap in our favor. Measured against Zumper's bedroom-level data, our 6.44 percent beats one bedroom, two bedroom, and four bedroom units, and trails only the three bedroom category, which saw an unusually strong 11 percent jump.
Consistent rent growth like this does not happen by accident. It comes from renewing leases at the right time with the right increase, keeping units maintained so good tenants want to stay, and pricing new leases against real, current data rather than guesswork. It is also a byproduct of having someone local watching the numbers every month instead of setting a rent once and forgetting about it.
For an owner, the takeaway is simple. A managed portfolio should not just avoid losing ground to the market. It should hold its own or get ahead of it, month after month, in a way you can see in the numbers.
Source: Middleton Street portfolio data, compared against Zumper and RentCafe.
What This Means for You
If you manage your own rental, or you use a property manager who mostly stays out of sight until something breaks, you already know the feeling. The investment that was supposed to create freedom instead feels like another job you never signed up for.
It does not have to work that way. A well managed rental should generate income quietly in the background while you focus on your career, your family, or your next investment, not the other way around.
If you want to see where your property stands against the Beaufort County rental market right now, visit middleton.rent for a free Rental Analysis, or schedule a free property review with our team.
Data Sources
- Redfin: Beaufort County median home sale price, days on market for home sales, and number of homes sold, year over year.
- Zillow: Beaufort, SC average home value (Zillow Home Value Index) and year over year change.
- RentalSource: Beaufort County average days on market for rental properties and county average rent.
- Zumper: Median rent by bedroom count for Beaufort, SC and year over year change.
- RentCafe: Average rent and year over year change for Beaufort, SC, used as a cross-reference to Zumper.
About the Author
Malory Medaglia serves as the Property Management Advisor at Middleton Street Property Management. With a deep understanding of the local rental market, Malory's expertise has been instrumental in guiding homeowners through the intricacies of property management. Her passion for real estate and commitment to excellence ensures that clients receive top tier advice and service. If you are considering diving into the world of property rentals or simply have questions about our services, Malory is your go to professional.
Email: malory@beaufort.rent
Phone: (843) 595-8899
Visit middleton.rent for a free Rental Analysis.
