Apartment hunting tips?

Long story short my landlord is evil and I've decided not to renew my lease which ends in april. I have a budget of about $1000 (can stretch this a bit if any utilities are included) and I'm looking for a place that's two bedrooms or ~750 square feet. I'm willing to be up to 25 minutes outside of sc! Is this possible? Are there any small towns or particular companies I should be looking at? I don't need anything fancy, I'm just looking for a decent amount of space and a place that actually has some insulation!

Edit: I'm not a student if this helps!