McCormick County is South Carolina’s second-smallest county by population — a western Upstate community of roughly 10,000 centered on the small town of McCormick, situated on the SC side of the Savannah River valley just upstream from the massive Strom Thurmond Dam and Reservoir (Lake Thurmond). The lake is the county’s defining geographic and economic feature: one of the largest reservoirs on the East Coast, straddling the SC/Georgia border and offering extensive recreational opportunities that have attracted retirees, second-home owners, and recreation-oriented residents to the area over recent decades. Modoc, the community most directly associated with the lake’s SC shoreline, has seen modest but real waterfront and near-water residential development driven by this demand.
The rental market in McCormick County is among the smallest in South Carolina. The town of McCormick has a very limited rental inventory; the surrounding county has some lakefront and near-lake rental activity, particularly seasonal and vacation-oriented. Proximity to Aiken County, Greenwood County, and the Augusta, Georgia metro provides some commuter demand from households employed in those areas who choose McCormick County’s extremely low housing costs. All residential tenancies are governed by the SC Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, with McCormick County Magistrate Court handling Summary Ejectment. Lake Thurmond vacation rentals are governed by the SC Vacation Rental Act.
📊 Quick Stats
County Seat
McCormick
Population
~10,000
Key Communities
McCormick, Modoc, Troy, Parksville, Plum Branch
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
McCormick County Ordinances & Local Rules
Topic
Rule / Notes
Rent Control
None. SC state preemption applies throughout McCormick County. No rent restrictions anywhere in the county.
Security Deposit Cap
No statutory cap. Lakefront properties may support higher deposits reflecting elevated rents; town of McCormick market is very low. Must return within 30 days with itemized accounting (SC Code § 27-40-530).
Lake Thurmond STR / Vacation Rental
Lake Thurmond waterfront and near-water properties with short-term recreational rentals are governed by the SC Vacation Rental Act (§ 27-50-210 et seq.), not the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. Confirm tenancy type before applying any legal framework or taking any enforcement action.
Augusta / Aiken / Greenwood Commuter Market
Some McCormick County residents commute to Aiken County (SRS), Greenwood County (Self Regional, manufacturing), or Augusta, GA for employment. These commuter households can represent more financially stable tenants than purely local income would produce.
Habitability Standard
SC Code § 27-40-410 applies countywide. Older town stock requires proactive maintenance. Lakefront properties require attention to moisture, corrosion, and seasonal weather exposure.
Written Lease Practice
Essential. Only written terms can be enforced at Magistrate Court. Use a SC-compliant written lease on every residential tenancy, and a SC Vacation Rental Act-compliant agreement for all short-term lake bookings.
Self-Help Eviction
Prohibited under SC law. Summary Ejectment through McCormick County Magistrate Court is the only lawful process for removing a residential tenant.
Source of Income
No state or local requirement to accept housing vouchers in McCormick County.
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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.
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⚠️ 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.
Lake properties: Clearly identify tenancy type before executing any agreement — residential vs. vacation rental. Use the correct SC statutory framework for the actual occupancy. Mixing frameworks creates legal exposure that is difficult and expensive to unwind.
Commuter tenants: Augusta/Aiken/Greenwood commuters are the most financially stable segment of the McCormick residential market. SRS employment and Self Regional healthcare workers may commute reasonable distances given McCormick County’s housing cost advantage.
McCormick County Landlord Guide: Lake Thurmond, Rural Upstate Market, and SC Eviction Law
McCormick County is South Carolina’s second-smallest county and one of its most geographically distinctive — a western Upstate county whose entire eastern and southern border is formed by the Savannah River and the massive Strom Thurmond Reservoir that backs up behind the dam at the Georgia state line. Lake Thurmond’s recreational appeal has attracted retirees and vacation-property owners to the county’s lakefront over recent decades, creating a small but real waterfront real estate market that coexists with the town of McCormick’s modest residential and commercial activity. For landlords, the county presents two very different rental situations: the standard low-rent residential market in the town of McCormick and rural community areas, and the lakefront market where vacation rentals and longer-term recreational tenancies intersect.
Residential vs. Vacation Rental at Lake Thurmond
The most legally significant question for McCormick County lakefront property owners is which statute governs a given occupancy. Long-term residential leases — a family or individual using a lakefront property as their primary or secondary residence under a lease of 90 days or more — are governed by the SC Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. Short-term vacation rentals — recreational bookings through platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, or through traditional lake rental management companies — are governed by the SC Vacation Rental Act (§ 27-50-210 et seq.). The two statutes have different notice requirements, different deposit handling rules, and completely different tenant removal procedures. Using a residential lease for a vacation rental booking, or attempting to invoke residential eviction procedures against a vacation rental guest, applies the wrong legal framework and creates liability. If there is any doubt about which statute applies to a specific occupancy situation, consult a licensed South Carolina attorney before taking action.
Eviction Law at McCormick County Magistrate Court
For residential tenancies, the standard SC framework applies. Nonpayment evictions begin with a written 5-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate under SC Code § 27-40-710. After five days, Summary Ejectment is filed at McCormick County Magistrate Court in McCormick. As one of the state’s lowest-volume courts, scheduling is typically efficient. Writs of Ejectment are enforced by the McCormick County Sheriff. Lease violation evictions require 14-day cure under SC Code § 27-40-720. Self-help eviction is prohibited and generates civil liability regardless of tenant conduct. In a county of 10,000 people, where a landlord’s reputation is widely known and legal proceedings are visible, maintaining procedural compliance is particularly important to long-term community relationships.
The Commuter Tenant Opportunity
McCormick County’s housing costs are among the lowest in the state, creating a potential cost arbitrage for households employed in neighboring Aiken County (Savannah River Site, Aiken’s growing manufacturing base), Greenwood County (Self Regional Healthcare, manufacturing), or the Augusta, Georgia metro. The SRS nuclear complex in Aiken County is one of the largest employers in the SC Midlands and generates a professional-income workforce that some households may choose to house in McCormick County given the cost differential. Similarly, Self Regional Healthcare workers in Greenwood may find McCormick County’s lower costs attractive for a somewhat longer commute. These commuter households represent the most financially stable residential tenant segment available in McCormick County’s market, and proactively marketing to them through employer bulletin boards and relocation resources is a reasonable demand generation strategy.
⚠️ 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 McCormick County Magistrate Court directly. Last updated: March 2026.
