$100k salary, packing up from El Paso

change
Spartanburg, SC cityscape

from el paso

Spartanburg

sc · metro 383k

photo: Jenny Gregg / pexels

a dispatch from

spartanburg

SC

34.95°N

81.93°W

Spartanburg is the Upstate of South Carolina, with rolling foothills, peach orchards (yes, South Carolina actually grows more peaches than Georgia in some years), and the largest BMW manufacturing plant in the world just outside town. The downtown's been revitalizing with breweries and restaurants. Wofford and Converse keep college energy in town. The Blue Ridge is right there.

metro383k

in our guides

#5

of 10

Affordable cities for outdoor lovers

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities to leave San Francisco for

read the guide
#7

of 10

Most vibrant and affordable cities

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities for retirees who love the outdoors

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities for mild four-season weather

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities to leave Los Angeles for

read the guide
#3

of 10

Affordable alternatives to Austin

read the guide
#3

of 10

Affordable alternatives to Denver

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities to live in the South

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best small cities to live in

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities to leave Phoenix for

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities to leave Denver for

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities to leave Austin for

read the guide
#5

of 10

Best cities on the East Coast

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities for a $75k salary

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities to buy a home

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities to live in the Southeast

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best cities in the Carolinas

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities for a $60k salary

read the guide
#1

of 10

Affordable alternatives to Boise

read the guide

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$502

more each month than El Paso ran you

You'd pay for Spartanburg. The question is whether the days are worth the difference.
landable, recorded on the spartanburg entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,434/mo

3% cheaper than El Paso(vs $1,473/mo)

02state income tax

6.5%

$542/mo more in state tax than El Paso

vs 0% in El Paso

03after rent

$6,358/mo

$502 less than El Paso

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$277k

20% more expensive than El Paso

vs $231k in El Paso

05metro size

383k

vs 872k in El Paso

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

191

pleasant days a year, in spartanburg.

El Paso has the edge here, logging 222 pleasant days a year.

El Paso hosts 2.0× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

5% higher than El Paso

vs 65/100 in El Paso

Closest outdoor draw: Croft State Park, 5 mi.

·walk score®

77/100

17% lower than El Paso

vs 93/100 in El Paso

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

20

54% more than El Paso

vs 13 nonstops in El Paso

04 · see also

neighbors of spartanburg on the map of tradeoffs:

see also

greenville

better weather

turn the page

see also

hickory

$166/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

richmond

similar overall lifestyle

turn the page

compare spartanburg with:

GreenvilleHickoryRichmond