HousingPermits

Metro area in South Carolina · part of the Columbia-Sumter-Orangeburg, SC combined area

Sumter, SC

The Sumter metro area authorized 358 new housing units in 2025. Duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes supplied 9.7% of its units in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 8 metro areas based in South Carolina. Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 44% below the 2004–2006 average, the weakest recovery by this measure among the 8 metro areas based in South Carolina.

02505007501,0002004: 674 units (572 single-family, 102 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 627 units (571 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 768 units (760 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 916 units (568 single-family, 62 in 2–4 unit, 286 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 299 units (296 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 417 units (385 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 353 units (289 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 345 units (345 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 299 units (251 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 583 units (299 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 284 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 289 units (269 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 20 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 217 units (217 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 273 units (243 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 30 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 222 units (222 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 279 units (279 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 333 units (283 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 333 units (305 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 388 units (384 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 402 units (302 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 381 units (343 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 386 units (344 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 358 units (320 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252007 high · 9162015 low · 21704008001,2002004: 674 units (572 single-family, 102 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 627 units (571 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 768 units (760 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 916 units (568 single-family, 62 in 2–4 unit, 286 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 299 units (296 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 417 units (385 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 353 units (289 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 345 units (345 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 299 units (251 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 583 units (299 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 284 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 289 units (269 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 20 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 217 units (217 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 273 units (243 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 30 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 222 units (222 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 279 units (279 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 333 units (283 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 333 units (305 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 388 units (384 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 402 units (302 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 381 units (343 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 386 units (344 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 358 units (320 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252007 high · 916

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its 2025 total was only 39% of the 2007 high of 916 units, the furthest below a series peak among the 8 metro areas based in South Carolina.

Houses or apartments

In Sumter, 88% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 1.9% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Hinesville (1.9% in five-plus buildings).

2021–202588.4%88%9.7%10%1.9%2004–200692.0%92%8.0%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202588.4%88%9.7%1.9%2004–200692.0%92%8.0%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 19 other metro areas, among them Watertown, Weirton, Anniston. Annual permits fell from 768 during the mid-2000s boom to 299 in 2008, a drop of 61%. The nearest bust profile in the South Atlantic states was Durham's (62%). Its quietest year came later, in 2015 (217 units). From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 7.3%.

The wider Columbia-Sumter-Orangeburg region

The Census Bureau groups Sumter with one neighboring metro area in the Columbia-Sumter-Orangeburg, SC combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 6,405 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Sumter accounted for 6%. The other, with its yearly average: Columbia, SC (6,022).

Relative to population

With 105,067 residents in July 2025, Sumter authorized 3.7 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Oshkosh (3.7) and Bismarck (3.6).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Kankakee, IL1131.12%
Sumter, SC3583.71.9%
Grand Forks, ND-MN2281.912%
Mankato, MN3564.651%
Fond du Lac, WI1901.78.4%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Sumter beside Grand Forks

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: South Carolina. Counting rules.