The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates count about 13,741 people in Cayce, with a median household income of $62,045. Compare personal loan offers by APR and total cost, confirm every fee in dollars, and check the lender's South Carolina license. Your own income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for.
On this page
- Local snapshot
- How people in Cayce earn a living
- Age, schooling and housing in Cayce
- The job market around Cayce
- Budget math at the median in Cayce
- What the numbers suggest about borrowing in Cayce
- How Cayce compares
- Local context
- A situation that comes up in Cayce
- Before you borrow in Cayce
- More nearby
- Frequently asked questions
Local snapshot
Source: Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024, for the city of Cayce. Estimates carry margins of error, and your own income, credit and debts decide what a lender offers.
How people in Cayce earn a living
Count the jobs held by Cayce residents and education and health care comes out on top (25%), followed by construction at 11% and professional, scientific and administrative services at 10%. What sets Cayce apart is other services, at 10% of workers where the typical place in our set has 5%.
At the top of the scale, 4% of Cayce households earn $200,000 or more; at the bottom, 26% earn under $35,000. Our Carolina median is 32% at $100,000 or more and 24% under $35,000.
Age, schooling and housing in Cayce
On education and age, Cayce shows 31% of adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher and a median age of 37.7. Measured against the Carolina set (median age 38.2, 37% with degrees), Cayce is younger and below the typical education share. Education levels shape the local job mix, which in turn shapes pay schedules and benefits.
Detached houses make up 71% of the homes in Cayce; buildings with five or more units account for 16% and mobile homes for 5%. For the Carolina set as a whole, the middle is 65% detached and 16% multifamily. Match the loan amount to a written estimate or quote rather than to what a lender is willing to offer.
The job market around Cayce
Federal labor data show unemployment of 3.2% in Lexington County for September 2026 (preliminary, not seasonally adjusted), down 0.7 points from 3.9% a year earlier. Inside Cayce, the ACS five-year average for 2020 to 2024 is 5.3%.
Budget math at the median in Cayce
Here is the budget math at the median. A Cayce household earning $62,045 a year has about $5,170 a month before taxes. The median gross rent of $1,360 takes roughly 26% of that, against a common affordability yardstick of 30%, or about $1,551. For total debt payments, 36% of gross income is a common benchmark. At the median that is about $1,861 a month, though lenders choose their own cutoffs. The typical home is priced at 2.7 times the median household income.
What the numbers suggest about borrowing in Cayce
The price-to-income ratio in Cayce is on the lower side (about 2.7, from a median home value of $166,800 and a median household income of $62,045). Lower housing pressure often leaves more cash flow for debt payments.
Commutes are comparatively short in Cayce: only 5% of workers travel 45 minutes or more, in the lower third of the 158 Carolina places we cover. Lower vehicle wear can leave more room in the budget.
The median home in Cayce dates from 1969, older than in most of the 158 Carolina places we cover. Aging systems are a predictable source of large, unplanned bills, so a repair fund beats a loan, but when the fund is empty a fixed-term loan is a reasonable tool.
How Cayce compares
Among the 158 Carolina places we track, Cayce posts a median household income of $62,045 (90th highest of 158), a median gross rent of $1,360 (59th highest of 158), and a median home value of $166,800 (142nd highest of 158). Treat the order as context, nothing more.
For scale, look at two South Carolina places of similar size: Beaufort ($61,220 income, $1,212 rent), where Cayce runs 1% above on income and 12% above on rent and Tega Cay ($142,000 income, $1,408 rent), where Cayce runs 56% below on income and 3% below on rent. Compare the same four numbers on every offer wherever you live.
Local context
Cayce is a Lexington County city next to Columbia with a mix of state government, retail and logistics jobs.
A situation that comes up in Cayce
Public-sector jobs offer predictability. If you work for the state or a local agency in Cayce, ask your credit union about member programs before comparing outside lenders.
Before you borrow in Cayce
- Verify before you share details with the South Carolina Commissioner of Consumer Finance; complaints go here.
- Never pay a fee first. A request for money before funding is the mark of a scam; the scam guide lists the usual scripts.
- Stress-test the payment: could you still make it after one bad month?
- Put the payment through the DTI calculator before you apply anywhere. Lenders set their own limits.
- Ask about early payoff. Most personal loans have no penalty, but confirm in writing.
More nearby
- Lexington County overview
- Columbia metro area
- Personal loans in Lexington, SC
- Personal loans in West Columbia, SC
- Personal loans in Columbia, SC
Frequently asked questions
Do high home prices in Cayce change how I should borrow?
Median home value here is $166,800 against a median household income of $62,045, so housing already takes a large share of many budgets. Keep new payments modest, compare total cost and avoid stretching the term only to shrink the payment.
Are there special loan options for public employees in Cayce?
Some credit unions serve public employees with member programs. Compare them with other lenders on APR, fees and prepayment terms.
Does my Cayce ZIP code matter to the check?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points: amount, credit range, income and payments. Lenders make their own decisions under fair-lending law.
Who regulates personal lenders in South Carolina?
Look a lender up with the Office of the Commissioner of Consumer Finance. For general unfair practices, the Department of Consumer Affairs is the place to complain.