Illinois vs South Carolina
Same underlying data as the individual state pages, side by side. Statutory rates and redemption windows only — always confirm against the county's own auction notice before bidding.
| | Illinois | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Sale type | Tax lien certificate | Redeemable deed |
| Rate / penalty | Up to 9% per 6-month period, bid down | 3–12% of the bid by quarter, capped at the opening bid |
| Redemption | 2.5–3 years (1 year for vacant/commercial) | 12 months |
These aren't the same kind of sale: Illinois runs a tax lien certificate, while South Carolina runs a redeemable deed. That changes what you actually hold after the sale — a claim against the debt in one case, the property itself (or a right to it) in the other.
Redemption windows differ: Illinois gives owners 2.5–3 years (1 year for vacant/commercial), South Carolina gives 12 months — the state with the shorter window resolves faster, for better or worse depending on what you're optimizing for.
Illinois sells delinquent taxes at an annual county tax sale where bidders compete on the penalty they will accept, capped at 9% since 2022 (35 ILCS 200/21-215); the redeeming owner pays that penalty once for each six-month period that has begun, up to six (§ 21-355). Most property can be redeemed for 2½ years (one year for vacant non-farm, commercial, industrial and 7+-unit property), and three years on certificates sold on or after July 10, 2026, when HB 4537 (P.A. 104-553) replaced the direct tax deed with a court-ordered auction that returns any surplus to the former owner and let counties acquire the liens themselves (§§ 21-190, 21-350, 22-40, 22-42).
Full Illinois page →South Carolina auctions the property itself, bid up from a mandatory opening bid equal to the taxes, penalties and costs (S.C. Code § 12-51-55). The owner may redeem within twelve months by paying the bid plus a lump sum of 3%, 6%, 9% or 12% depending on the quarter, never more than the opening bid (§ 12-51-90); otherwise the buyer receives a tax title (§ 12-51-130).
Full South Carolina page →Property & tax market
| | Illinois | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $263,300 | $259,000 |
| Median property tax / year | $5,298 | $1,251 |
| Tax / home value | 2.0% | 0.5% |
| Tax / household income | 6.4% | 1.8% |
| Homes owned outright | 39.2% | 42.9% |
| “Other vacant” homes | 3.9% | 5.3% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1992 |
A typical home in Illinois pays 4.2× the property tax of one in South Carolina ($5,298 against $1,251 a year). That is the scale of what a typical home owes per unpaid year in each state, and of the money a certificate or a deed sale's opening bid is built from.
Homes owned outright — where no lender has a reason to pay the delinquent bill for the owner — are 39.2% of owner-occupied homes in Illinois and 42.9% in South Carolina. The Census “other vacant” share (foreclosures, homes in legal limbo or needing repairs, abandoned homes) is 3.9% against 5.3%: South Carolina has more of the empty properties that tend to go unredeemed — and to need work if the deed ends up yours.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25077, B25103, B25081, B25002, B25004, B25035, B19013). Medians of what owners report paying, not statutory rates. County-level figures are on each state page.
Quick answers
Is Illinois or South Carolina a tax lien state?+
Illinois is a tax lien certificate state. South Carolina is a redeemable deed state.
Which has the higher rate, Illinois or South Carolina?+
Illinois: Up to 9% per 6-month period, bid down. South Carolina: 3–12% of the bid by quarter, capped at the opening bid. Compare the actual statutory ceiling, not just the headline number — most "up to" rates get bid down at auction.
Which redeems faster, Illinois or South Carolina?+
Redemption windows differ: Illinois gives owners 2.5–3 years (1 year for vacant/commercial), South Carolina gives 12 months — the state with the shorter window resolves faster, for better or worse depending on what you're optimizing for.
Are property taxes higher in Illinois or South Carolina?+
The median homeowner pays $5,298 a year in Illinois and $1,251 in South Carolina (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates). A typical home in Illinois pays 4.2× the property tax of one in South Carolina ($5,298 against $1,251 a year). That is the scale of what a typical home owes per unpaid year in each state, and of the money a certificate or a deed sale's opening bid is built from.
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See where these two rank against all 50 states: full rankings.
This page is general information, not financial or legal advice. Rates and redemption periods are set by state statute and can change by county or legislative session — always confirm against the county's own auction notice before bidding.