Calhoun County is one of South Carolina’s smallest counties by both area and population, occupying a rural stretch of the Midlands between Columbia and Orangeburg. The county seat of St. Matthews — a small town of around 2,000 residents — serves as the commercial and civic center for an overwhelmingly agricultural surrounding landscape. Like many of South Carolina’s rural Midlands counties, Calhoun faces persistent economic headwinds: limited employment diversity, population decline through outmigration of working-age residents, and a housing stock that reflects decades of limited new investment. The total rental market is small and geographically concentrated in St. Matthews and the community of Cameron along US-601.
For landlords, Calhoun County offers very low acquisition costs, minimal competition from institutional operators, and a modest but stable demand base from agricultural workers, county government employees, and lower-income households with limited housing options. The proximity to Orangeburg — roughly 20 miles south on US-601 — and to the outer reaches of the Columbia metro means some residents commute and choose Calhoun County for affordability. Operating successfully in this market requires realistic rent expectations, disciplined maintenance of older housing stock, consistent application of South Carolina’s landlord-tenant statute, and an understanding that the margin for error on any individual unit is thin.
📊 Quick Stats
County Seat
St. Matthews
Population
~14,500
Key Communities
St. Matthews, Cameron, Fort Motte, Lone Star
Court System
Magistrate Court
Rent Control
None (state preemption)
Just-Cause Eviction
Not required
⚡ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
5-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate
Lease Violation
14-Day Notice to Cure
Filing Fee
~$80–$120
Court Type
Magistrate Court
Avg. Timeline
2–4 weeks
Statute
SC Code § 27-40-710
Calhoun County Ordinances & Local Rules
Topic
Rule / Notes
Rent Control
None. SC state preemption applies. No rent restrictions at any level in Calhoun County.
Security Deposit Cap
No statutory cap. Low prevailing rents mean deposits are modest. Must return within 30 days with itemized accounting (SC Code § 27-40-530).
Habitability Standard
SC Code § 27-40-410 applies. Older housing stock requires proactive maintenance regardless of rent level. Functioning heat, plumbing, and weathertight structure are non-negotiable minimums.
Self-Help Eviction
Prohibited under SC law. Lock changes, utility shutoffs, and removal of belongings to force a tenant out are illegal. Summary Ejectment through Calhoun County Magistrate Court is the only lawful remedy.
Housing Choice Vouchers
No requirement to accept under SC or local law. Voluntary HCV participation can stabilize income in a limited-purchasing-power market.
Written Lease Practice
Not legally required for month-to-month tenancies under SC law, but strongly recommended to establish enforceable terms and support Magistrate Court proceedings.
Retaliatory Eviction
Prohibited under SC law. Filing eviction within 90 days of a tenant’s habitability complaint may be presumed retaliatory.
Just-Cause Eviction
Not required. At lease end or on proper notice for month-to-month tenancies, the landlord may decline to renew without cause.
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Landlord must give 5-day written notice before filing. Tenant can cure by paying full amount within 5 days. If tenant pays after filing but before judgment, case may be dismissed. Base filing fee is $40 for Rule to Show Cause, plus a $25 mandatory court surcharge per SC Stat. §22-3-340, bringing practical minimum to $65. Writ of Ejectment costs an additional $10. Filing fees may vary by county ($40-$75 range reported).
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Magistrate Court. Pay the filing fee (~$40).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about South Carolina eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified South Carolina attorney or local legal aid organization.
🔍 Reduce Your Risk Before Signing a Lease:
South Carolina landlords who screen tenants carefully before signing a lease significantly
reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding
tenant screening in South Carolina —
including background checks, credit history, income verification, and rental references — is one of the most
cost-effective steps you can take to protect your rental property. Before you ever need South Carolina's
eviction process, proper tenant screening can help
you identify red flags early and avoid problem tenancies altogether.
Ready to File?
Generate South Carolina-Compliant Legal Documents
AI-generated, state-specific eviction notices, pay-or-quit letters, lease termination documents, and more — pre-filled with your tenant's information and built to South Carolina requirements.
Select your state, eviction reason, and the date you plan to serve notice. We'll calculate your earliest filing date and key milestones.
⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Underground Landlord
🏘️ Communities & Screening Tips
Key communities: St. Matthews, Cameron, Fort Motte, Lone Star, Creston.
Income verification: In a limited-employment market, verify all income sources — government benefits, Social Security, and part-time or seasonal agricultural income. Stable government benefit income can be as reliable as wage income.
Written lease documentation is especially important in close-knit rural markets where informal arrangements are culturally common. Magistrate Court cannot enforce terms that are not in writing.
Calhoun County Landlord Guide: Rural Midlands SC and Core Landlord-Tenant Obligations
Calhoun County sits in the quiet agricultural heart of South Carolina’s Midlands, a county where the pace of life is unhurried and the rental market reflects the modest economic scale of a small rural community. Landlords operating here are not competing with institutional apartment operators or navigating complex municipal STR frameworks — they are managing a small number of residential units in a tight-knit community with straightforward, if financially thin, fundamentals. What doesn’t change with the scale is the legal framework: South Carolina’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Act applies here as fully as it does in Charleston, and Calhoun County Magistrate Court processes eviction cases with the same statutory requirements as any court in the state.
The 5-Day Notice and Magistrate Court Process
Nonpayment evictions in Calhoun County begin with a written 5-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate under SC Code § 27-40-710. The notice must specify the amount owed and be properly served — documented door posting or personal delivery. After five days, Summary Ejectment is filed at Calhoun County Magistrate Court in St. Matthews. The small docket means proceedings tend to be scheduled and heard efficiently. A successful judgment produces a Writ of Ejectment enforced by the Calhoun County Sheriff. No step in this process can be skipped or replaced with informal action — a landlord who changes locks or shuts off utilities before obtaining a writ faces civil liability under SC law.
Habitability in a Low-Rent Rural Market
SC Code § 27-40-410’s habitability requirements apply uniformly across all rent levels and property ages. A unit renting for $450 per month in St. Matthews must have functioning heat, working plumbing, a weathertight roof, and safe electrical service — the same minimums that apply to a $1,500 unit in Columbia. Landlords who acquire low-cost Calhoun County properties must budget for the maintenance capital those properties require, particularly for aging HVAC systems, plumbing, and roofing. A habitability failure that goes unaddressed after written tenant notification creates both a lease defense and a potential retaliatory eviction claim if the landlord subsequently attempts to remove the tenant.
Written Leases and Informal Markets
In rural markets like Calhoun County, verbal tenancy arrangements are common — landlords and tenants who know each other personally may rely on handshakes and custom rather than written contracts. SC law does not require leases to be in writing for month-to-month tenancies, but Magistrate Court can only enforce terms that are documented. A landlord who relies on a verbal agreement about a pet policy, a maintenance responsibility, or a late fee finds at hearing that the tenant simply denies the agreement ever existed — and without a written lease, there is no way to resolve the dispute in the landlord’s favor. The investment in a clear, signed SC-compliant lease is minimal; the protection it provides is substantial.
Security Deposits: Small Amounts, Same Rules
Calhoun County’s low prevailing rents mean security deposits are typically modest — $300–$500 for most residential units. South Carolina’s no-cap statute means larger deposits are legally permissible when risk factors warrant, but tenant affordability constrains what is practical in this market. Regardless of deposit size, SC Code § 27-40-530 requires return of the unused portion within 30 days of lease termination and possession surrender, with a written itemized accounting of deductions. The 30-day deadline does not adjust for deposit size — missing it on a $400 deposit forfeits the right to retain any portion, just as it would on a $2,000 deposit. Document condition at move-in, photograph everything, and begin the accounting process the day a tenant vacates.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Landlord-tenant law is subject to change and may vary based on individual circumstances. For questions about a specific eviction, lease dispute, or compliance matter, consult a licensed South Carolina attorney or contact Calhoun County Magistrate Court directly. Last updated: March 2026.
