Eviction Laws in Clemson, South Carolina
Clemson is South Carolina’s definitive college town — a small city of approximately 18,000 residents in the western Upstate whose identity, economy, and rental market are almost entirely shaped by Clemson University. The university enrolls roughly 28,000 students (about 22,000 undergrads and 6,000 graduate students), meaning the student population dramatically outnumbers permanent residents. The city straddles Pickens and Anderson counties, with most of the urbanized area falling in Pickens County. The median age is just 24.8 years, 45% of residents are between 15 and 24, and 65% of all households are renter-occupied — the highest rental percentage of any city in this series by a wide margin.
The rental market in Clemson is unlike any other in South Carolina. The headline average rent of $3,286 from RentCafe is misleading — it reflects per-unit pricing on large student apartment complexes that rent by the bedroom (4-bedroom units at $800+ per bed = $3,200+ per unit). Actual per-person or per-bedroom rents are more affordable: studios around $610–$735, one-bedrooms around $1,200–$1,900, and the per-bed model runs $600–$900 per student per month. The market is almost entirely student-driven, with 89% of renters being non-family households and only 5% of rental homes containing children under 18. Median household income is $49,520, but this is heavily distorted by the student population — under-25 households report a median income of just $14,836, while households headed by 25–44 year-olds (faculty, staff, young professionals) earn $80,859.
The official poverty rate is 36% — the highest in this series — but this is almost entirely a function of counting full-time students with low reported income as “in poverty.” The family poverty rate is only 5.2%, reflecting the economic reality that non-student households in Clemson are generally well-off. The population is 78% White, 8% Black, and 5% Asian, with the Asian population driven by the university’s strong engineering and science graduate programs. Per capita income is $46,442, boosted by faculty and professional residents.
South Carolina’s landlord-tenant framework applies fully in Clemson. The 5-day nonpayment notice (or no notice with the statutory lease language under S.C. Code § 27-40-710(B)), no security deposit cap, and 24-hour post-judgment removal all apply. Clemson has no rent control, no mandatory rental registration, and no local tenant protections beyond state law. Most Clemson properties fall in Pickens County, and eviction filings go through the Pickens County Magistrate Court in Liberty. Properties on the Anderson County side file at the Anderson County Magistrate Court.
Clemson — Local Rules That Affect Landlords
No rent control. South Carolina has no statewide rent control and no statute permitting municipalities to enact it. Clemson cannot cap rent increases. Landlords may raise rent with proper notice at lease renewal.
Two-county jurisdiction — file in the correct court. Clemson straddles Pickens and Anderson counties. Before filing for eviction, confirm which county your property is in. Properties in Pickens County file at the Pickens County Magistrate Court at 310 West Main Street (Highway 93), Liberty, SC 29657 (phone: 864-898-5551). Properties on the Anderson County side file at the Anderson County Magistrate Court. Filing in the wrong county court will delay your case. If you’re unsure, check your property’s tax parcel on the relevant county’s GIS system.
Student rental market — the dominant reality. Clemson’s rental market is 90%+ student-driven. This creates unique dynamics that landlords must plan for: leases should align with the academic calendar (August to July), parent co-signers or guarantors are essential since most students have little income or credit history, and turnover is predictable but annual. The per-bedroom rental model dominates, with students signing individual lease agreements for their bedroom in shared units. If you use this model, each tenant’s lease should be independent — one student’s nonpayment shouldn’t affect the others’ tenancy.
Football game weekends — STR gold mine. Clemson Tigers football draws 80,000+ fans to Memorial Stadium (“Death Valley”) for seven home games per season. Hotel rooms sell out weeks in advance, and short-term rental demand spikes dramatically. Properties near campus or along Highway 123 can command $300–$500+ per night on game weekends. However, this also means your long-term tenants (students) may attempt to sub-rent their units on game weekends for profit. Your lease should explicitly address unauthorized subletting and short-term rental activity. All STR operators must collect and remit state (6%) and local accommodations taxes.
Summer vacancy is the norm. Most students leave Clemson after spring semester ends in May and return in August. This creates a 2.5-month vacancy window that is unavoidable in the student market. Experienced Clemson landlords price their 12-month leases to account for this — the effective rent covers 12 months even though occupancy drops to near zero in summer. Some landlords offer 10-month leases at a premium per-month rate to match the academic calendar exactly, then rent to summer school students or short-term tenants during June and July.
University faculty and staff — the non-student niche. Clemson University employs thousands of faculty, researchers, and staff who live in the city. These non-student tenants represent a premium niche: they have stable employment, higher incomes ($80K+ median for 25–44 age group), and tend toward longer tenancies. Properties in quieter neighborhoods away from the student corridors (Patrick Square, areas near the Botanical Garden) attract this demographic. If you can capture faculty tenants, you’ll have lower turnover and more reliable payments than the student market.
CU-ICAR and research corridor demand. Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) in Greenville generates demand from visiting researchers, engineers on multi-month projects, and graduate students in automotive engineering programs. Some of these renters prefer Clemson’s lower costs and university atmosphere over Greenville, creating a small but growing professional renter segment.
No mandatory rental registration. Neither the City of Clemson nor Pickens County requires landlords to register rental properties. Code enforcement is complaint-driven. There is no proactive rental inspection program.
Pickens County Magistrate’s Court — Where Most Clemson Landlords File
Most Clemson eviction cases are filed at the Pickens County Magistrate Court — 310 West Main Street (Highway 93), Liberty, SC 29657. Phone: 864-898-5551. Fax: 864-843-4652. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Note: this court is in Liberty, approximately 10 miles southeast of Clemson. Properties on the Anderson County side of the city line file at the Anderson County Magistrate Court. File Form SCCA 732 (Application for Ejectment) and pay the $40 filing fee. Eviction forms are available free at the court office or on the Pickens County website. The court issues a Rule to Show Cause served on the tenant by the county Sheriff’s Office. If served in person, the tenant has 10 days to respond; if posted on the door, the tenant has 20 days to respond. If uncontested, a default Writ of Ejectment is issued. If contested, a hearing is scheduled — either party may request a jury trial in writing (six-member jury). After judgment, the Writ of Ejectment is issued; the tenant has 24 hours to vacate after the Writ is posted. If they do not leave, contact the Sheriff’s Office to schedule a physical set-out. Do not change locks, remove belongings, or cut utilities before the Sheriff executes the Writ — self-help eviction is illegal under S.C. Code § 27-40-660.
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