Property Tax in Berkeley County, South Carolina
In Berkeley County, South Carolina, the typical homeowner pays $1,343 a year in property taxes on a home worth a median of $280,300. The figures on this page are the Census Bureau's published medians (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023), shown exactly as released.
What the Berkeley County numbers mean
The median is the midpoint of the county's actual bills: half of Berkeley County homeowners pay more than $1,343 a year and half pay less. The exact bill for any one home depends on its assessed value, exemptions, and which school, municipal and special districts cover it.
Set against the median home value of $280,300, the median bill works out to a derived effective rate of 0.48%. That rate is an estimate computed from the two medians — no county publishes a rate calculated this way — but it adjusts for home prices, which makes comparisons between counties more meaningful.
The key figures for Berkeley County
| Measure | Berkeley County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $1,343 |
| Median home value | $280,300 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.48% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $112 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $479 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $1,916 |
For context, the South Carolina medians are $1,199 of tax on $236,700 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
Berkeley County at a glance
- Median tax rank in South Carolina: #9 of 46 counties
- Median home value rank in South Carolina: #6 of 46
- Population rank in South Carolina: #8 of 46 (238,723 residents)
- Population density rank: #12 of 46 (216 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in South Carolina: #3 of 46 (1,103 sq mi, 3.7% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $112; per $1,000 of home value: $0.48
How Berkeley County compares
Set against its state, Berkeley County's median bill of $1,343 is about 12% higher than the South Carolina median ($1,199). Against the country as a whole it is about 55% lower than the US median ($2,969). That places the county #9 of 46 South Carolina counties ranked by median taxes paid.
Remember what drives the ranking: bills follow home values as much as rates. Berkeley County's median home, at $280,300, ranks #6 by value in South Carolina, while its derived rate of 0.48% compares with a derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Berkeley County: the median bill works out to about $112 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $479 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 238,723 people — the #8 most populous county in South Carolina, spread over 1,103 square miles, a density of about 216 people per square mile. Its median home value, $280,300, ranks #6 among the state's 46 counties with data.
Nationally, Berkeley County's median bill of $1,343 ranks #1879 of 3133 counties with published data — inside the top 60% of counties by tax paid. The county accounts for about 4.6% of South Carolina's population, its median home value is about 18% above the state median, and at the derived rate the median home would hand over roughly 4.79% of its value in tax across a decade. Within the state, the distance from Berkeley County to the most expensive county, Beaufort County ($2,022), is $679 a year.
Counties nearest Berkeley County in the South Carolina ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County, SC | $1,487 | $298,100 | 0.50% |
| Greenville County, SC | $1,445 | $273,900 | 0.53% |
| Spartanburg County, SC | $1,217 | $216,000 | 0.56% |
| Lexington County, SC | $1,136 | $217,700 | 0.52% |
How the tax is worked out
As an illustration of the arithmetic: at Berkeley County's derived rate of 0.48%, a home valued at $400,000 would carry a tax bill of roughly $1,916 a year. That is only an illustration using the derived rate — a real bill is computed from the property's assessed value, its exemptions, and the combined rates of its specific taxing districts, so it can be higher or lower.
The usual sequence is: the local assessor values the property; exemptions are applied; the taxable value is multiplied by the combined local rates; and the county bills and collects the tax, distributing it to the schools, municipalities and districts that levied it.
Checking your assessment in Berkeley County
Believe your assessment is too high? The practical order of attack is: obtain your record card and audit it line by line; collect comparable recent sales in Berkeley County; ask the assessor's office to correct anything plainly wrong; and, if the value still seems off, lodge a formal appeal ahead of the deadline printed on your assessment notice. Windows are short — often 30 to 90 days — and late appeals are usually rejected outright, however strong the case.
More South Carolina counties
Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Berkeley County, South Carolina?
The median real estate tax paid in Berkeley County, South Carolina is $1,343 per year, on a median home value of $280,300 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Berkeley County, South Carolina?
Dividing Berkeley County's median tax bill ($1,343) by its median home value ($280,300) gives a derived effective rate of 0.48%. This is an estimate computed from two Census survey medians — it is not the county's official tax rate.
How does Berkeley County compare with the rest of South Carolina?
Berkeley County ranks #9 of 46 South Carolina counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $1,343 is about 12% higher than the South Carolina median of $1,199.
How are property taxes calculated in Berkeley County, South Carolina?
Three steps produce the bill: an assessment of market value by the local assessor, a reduction for exemptions you qualify for (a homestead exemption is the common one), and multiplication by the combined rates of the county, municipality, school district and any special districts covering the property. The median result in Berkeley County is $1,343 of tax on a $280,300 median home value.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Berkeley County, South Carolina?
Yes. Request your property record card from the Berkeley County assessor's office and check it for errors, then compare your assessed value with recent sales of similar homes. If it still looks too high, file a formal appeal with the local review board named on your assessment notice before the deadline printed on the notice — windows are short, often 30 to 90 days.