TaxLien.io
My Liens
← South Carolina

Oconee County

South Carolina · Upcoming sale

Sale dateNovember 9, 2026
Sale typeredeemable-deed
PlatformIn-person (Walhalla Performing Arts Center, 10am)
South Carolina rate / penalty3–12% of the bid by quarter, capped at the opening bid

County snapshot

Population (2024)82,475
Change since 2020+4.7%
Net migration (2024)+1,349

Oconee County has grown 4.7% since 2020 and still shows positive net migration (1,349 people in 2024). Demand for housing usually means owners redeem rather than walk away — good for the interest, less good if you were hoping to take the deed.

By population, Oconee County is the 18th largest of South Carolina's 46 counties. It has grown faster than the state average (+3.7% across South Carolina), so competition at the auction is likely to be heavier here than in the quieter counties. Of the 2024 change, 1,349 came from people moving in and 408 from deaths outnumbering births.

Counties of similar size in South Carolina with a sale on our calendar: Lancaster County, Saluda County, Dorchester County. Useful if this county's sale has already closed and you want the next comparable one.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Census population estimates. Population figures are estimates, not a count.

Property & tax profile

Median home value$237,100
Median tax / year$899
Tax / home value0.4%
Owned outright53.3%
“Other vacant”6.2%
Median year built1990

The median homeowner in Oconee County pays $899 a year in property tax — below the South Carolina median of $1,251 (U.S.: $3,119). That is roughly what a typical home here owes for each year it goes unpaid — the debt that the opening bid at a deed sale is usually built from, plus interest and costs. Homes with a mortgage pay a median of $1,094; homes owned outright, $752.

On a home with a mortgage, the lender has its own reason to pay a delinquent tax bill: the tax lien outranks the mortgage, and a tax deed can wipe out the loan. On a home owned outright, nobody but the owner — or the heirs — has that reason. In Oconee County, 53.3% of owner-occupied homes are owned outright (South Carolina: 42.9%, U.S.: 39.4%). That is more than the state as a whole, so a larger share of the delinquent bills here have no lender behind them.

18.0% of all housing units in Oconee County are vacant. 8.8% of all units are seasonal or vacation homes, empty by design rather than abandoned. The figure that matters for a buyer at the tax sale is the Census “other vacant” category — not for rent, not for sale, not a holiday home, but a catch-all that includes foreclosures, homes held up by legal proceedings or family reasons, homes needing repairs, and abandoned ones. Here it is 6.2% of all units (South Carolina: 5.3%, U.S.: 3.6%). Close to the state rate.

Half of the homes in Oconee County were built in or before 1990 (South Carolina: in or before 1992). The typical tax bill is 1.4% of the median household income of $62,388 (South Carolina: 1.8%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25077, B25103, B25081, B25002, B25004, B25035, B19013) — see the figures on data.census.gov. Survey estimates with margins of error; anything too uncertain to state is left out.

Note

Pre-registration Oct 29 – Nov 5; list published from Oct 21. Payment in certified funds by 4pm on sale day.

View official source ↗

Quick answers

When is the Oconee County tax sale?+

The Oconee County, South Carolina tax sale is scheduled for November 9, 2026, hosted via In-person (Walhalla Performing Arts Center, 10am).

Is Oconee County a good county to buy tax deed properties in?+

Oconee County has grown 4.7% since 2020 and still shows positive net migration (1,349 people in 2024). Demand for housing usually means owners redeem rather than walk away — good for the interest, less good if you were hoping to take the deed. Population in 2024: 82,475. These are U.S. Census Bureau estimates, not a recommendation — the county's own delinquency and redemption history matters more, and only the South Carolina treasurer publishes that.

How much is the property tax in Oconee County?+

The median homeowner in Oconee County pays $899 a year, about 0.4% of the median home value of $237,100 (South Carolina: 0.5%). Homes with a mortgage pay a median of $1,094, homes owned outright $752. These are U.S. Census Bureau survey estimates (American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates); the exact bill for a parcel depends on its assessed value and local rates, and the county tax collector has it.

What type of sale is it?+

Oconee County holds a redeemable tax deed sale. South Carolina's statewide system: redeemable deed. What the buyer earns: 3–12% of the bid by quarter, capped at the opening bid.

What's the redemption period in Oconee County?+

Oconee County follows South Carolina's statewide redemption period: 12 months.

Other South Carolina sales near this date

Every South Carolina page →

Other sales in November 2026

All November 2026 sales →

Our write-up of the Oconee County sale: Nov 9, 2026.

Want the full statutory picture for South Carolina, not just Oconee County? Read the South Carolina state page for the rate, redemption period, and every other county we've sourced.

See every other scheduled sale on the full auction calendar, every sale in November 2026, the upcoming South Carolina sales, or sign up for deal alerts to hear about new South Carolina dates as soon as we add them.

This page is general information, not financial or legal advice. Auction dates get postponed, cancelled, or rescheduled — always confirm against the official source above before showing up or bidding. Verified 2026-10-04.