Personal loans in Allendale County, SC: compare before you borrow

Allendale County at a glance

All figures here are ACS 2020 to 2024 five-year estimates for Allendale County. They are estimates with margins of error, and they say nothing about any one household.

Jobs and income in Allendale County

Ask what Allendale County residents do for a living and the ACS answers with education and health care first at 30%, then retail at 13% and transportation, warehousing and utilities at 12%. Relative to the rest of our Carolina county set, Allendale County is heavier in education and health care (30% against 22%). Gig and contract earners should keep a running record of deposits, because lenders usually average several months.

Break Allendale County households into income groups and 51% fall below $35,000, 34% land between $35,000 and $100,000, and 15% reach $100,000 or beyond. Allendale County trails the typical place in our set by 11.4 points at the top of the scale and exceeds it by 22.3 at the bottom. A Gini reading of 0.55 sums up how unevenly income is spread in Allendale County. If you are near the upper end, the temptation is to borrow more than the need requires.

Who lives in Allendale County

Residents of Allendale County have a median age of 44.7; 14% of adults 25 and older have at least a bachelor's degree, and 20% did not finish high school. That makes Allendale County 2.5 years older than the middle place in our Carolina county set, with a degree share 9 points lower.

Of every 100 homes in Allendale County, about 66 are detached houses and 5 sit in larger apartment buildings. Detached homes run 2 points below the typical place in our set.

Running the numbers for Allendale County

Try the arithmetic at the median. $32,328 a year is about $2,694 a month before taxes in Allendale County. Median rent of $662 is 25% of it, and the usual 30% yardstick would be about $808. A widely cited debt-to-income benchmark is 36%, which at the median would be about $970 a month for all debts together, rent or mortgage included. Lenders set their own limits. Buying the median home would take about 2.4 years of median income. If your rent share is above the yardstick, size any new payment more conservatively.

What the numbers suggest about borrowing in Allendale County

32% of Allendale County workers commute 45 minutes or more, in the upper third of the 146 Carolina county places we cover. Before borrowing for a car repair, check whether the car is worth the fix.

The median home in Allendale County dates from 1977, older than in most of the 146 Carolina county places we cover. A small repair fund helps.

Few Allendale County workers work from home (4%), lower than in most of the 146 Carolina county places we cover. Fuel and vehicle costs belong in any loan budget.

Comparing Allendale County with its peers

In the 146 Carolina county places in our dataset, Allendale County has a median household income of $32,328 (146th highest of 146), a median gross rent of $662 (145th highest of 146), and a median home value of $76,200 (146th highest of 146).

Two reference points among South Carolina places of similar population: McCormick County ($55,798 income, $696 rent), where Allendale County runs 42% below on income and 5% below on rent and Bamberg County ($44,370 income, $815 rent), where Allendale County runs 27% below on income and 19% below on rent. Differences like these are why a loan that suits one town can strain another.

About Allendale County

Largest communities in Allendale County, by 2020 to 2024 population: Allendale, Fairfax, Ulmer, Sycamore (4 Census places in all). If your town has no separate guide, this county page is the closest match; its numbers cover all 4 communities and the countryside.

Before you borrow in Allendale County

• Look the lender up with the state's Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance and use its complaint page if something goes wrong.
• Compare three written offers by APR, fees and total cost, using the side-by-side calculator.
• Check the payment against Allendale County rent or mortgage in the DTI calculator before applying anywhere.
• Try the free routes first: a credit union, a hardship plan or a nonprofit counselor may beat any loan (free options).
• Ask each lender for the same four numbers: amount financed, APR, fees and total repayment.

Allendale County communities by size

4 incorporated municipalities and 0 census-designated places lie mainly in Allendale County. Home values differ sharply: $86,500 in Allendale against $63,000 in Fairfax.

Houses, apartments and mobile homes in Allendale County

23% of homes in Allendale County are mobile homes (14% statewide), and 5% are in buildings of five or more units. Detached houses (66%) bring roof, HVAC and plumbing bills that are a common reason Allendale County owners borrow.

Household incomes in Allendale County, step by step

Households earning $150,000 or more are 5.9% of Allendale County, compared with 16.8% for South Carolina; those under $15,000 are 23.0%. Compared with South Carolina, Allendale County has more households at the very bottom and fewer at the top.

Allendale County beside nearby NC and SC counties

Hampton County is nearest at 19 miles. Across the group, the median age peaks at 42.3 in Bamberg County.

Where Allendale County ranks in South Carolina

Out of 46 South Carolina counties, Allendale County's most unusual ranks are on rent, car-free households, home values, household income.

• Allendale County: $662 a month for rent, #1 lowest of 46 in South Carolina. Lower rent leaves more slack for a payment.
• On car-free households (18.0%), Allendale County ranks #1 of 46 statewide, against 5.8% for the middle Carolina county. Transit and ride costs belong in the budget.
• Allendale County: $76,200 for home values, #1 lowest of 46 in South Carolina. Little equity to tap; unsecured loans are the norm.
• On household income ($32,328), Allendale County ranks #1 lowest of 46 statewide, against $59,717 for the middle Carolina county. Free and low-cost help is worth a call first.