South Carolina Homeowners Pay Some of the Lowest Insurance Costs In The Country, Despite Being In Extreme Weather Crosshairs

South Carolina homeowners pay some of the lowest average insurance costs in the Southeast, even as the state faces significant hurricane and flood exposure.

While climate risks are a concern along the coast, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the 2025 Climate Risk Report show that statewide premiums remain modest compared with national hot spots like Florida and Louisiana.

South Carolina’s Insurance Costs Stay Affordable

According to the American Community Survey (ACS) data from the U.S. Census Bureau, South Carolina homeowners with a mortgage typically pay $1,000–$1,499 annually for homeowners insurance, while those without a mortgage average the same $1,000–$1,499. Overall statewide costs also fall into the $1,000–$1,499 range.

South Carolina has 1,607,358 insured homeowner households in total—916,190 with a mortgage and 691,168 without. Among mortgaged owners, 80,283 pay less than $100 annually and 58,753 pay $4,000 or more. Among those without a mortgage, 170,266 less than $100 and 36,777 pay $4,000 or more.

Compared with nearby states, South Carolina is among the more affordable. North Carolina homeowners with a mortgage also average $1,000–$1,499, while Georgia is higher at $1,500–$1,999. Florida, by contrast, is far more expensive, with mortgaged households averaging $2,000–$2,499. Virginia is similar to South Carolina, at $1,000–$1,499 for both groups. This makes South Carolina one of the most affordable coastal states in the Southeast.

Climate Risks Across the Region

The Climate Risk Report highlights how climate exposure drives higher costs in other markets. Miami homeowners top the nation, with average premiums of $22,718 annually, or 3.7% of home value. Cape Coral, Sarasota, and Tampa also rank among the most expensive, with insurance burdens exceeding 2% of home value.

Meanwhile, the Charleston–North Charleston metro ranks among the nation’s most flood-exposed markets, with nearly 35% of the area’s housing value facing severe or extreme flood risk. That’s not just a coastal problem—storm surge, heavy rainfall, and tidal flooding are reshaping long-term affordability.

Wind risk is equally pressing. In fact, all homes in Charleston–North Charleston face severe or extreme hurricane wind risk, putting $172.6B of property value at stake. These layered risks—storm surge on one hand, wind on the other—help explain why insurance markets remain volatile in the Southeast.

A National Affordability Challenge

Even though South Carolina’s statewide costs are relatively low, affordability concerns are mounting nationwide. The Realtor.com 2025 Insurance Affordability Report found that 75% of Americans believe homeowners insurance could soon become unaffordable, while nearly half of respondents said they had already experienced difficulties renewing or obtaining coverage.

Rising costs are also shaping buyer behavior. Nearly 30% of homebuyers said they had completely changed the areas where they were searching due to insurance concerns, while another quarter said they had overhauled their strategies altogether. A recent analysis of migration patterns shows that some buyers are relocating to states with the lowest home insurance premiums, reshaping housing demand across the Southeast.

Even more striking, 58% of homeowners nationwide said they would consider dropping coverage entirely if premiums became too high, with younger homeowners the most likely to take that risk.

So, for now, South Carolina homeowners pay less than many other coastal states, giving them a degree of affordability protection. Still, with hurricane and flood risks along the Atlantic coast, residents may want to use a home insurance comparison tool to evaluate coverage options. While South Carolina enjoys relatively low homeowners insurance costs today, premiums could rise, narrowing the gap with higher-cost neighbors like Florida.

This article was produced with editorial input from Dina Sartore-Bodo, Gabriella Iannetta, and Allaire Conte.