same $100k income, fresh start from Kingsport

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Spartanburg, SC cityscape

from kingsport

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

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$592

more expensive each month than Kingsport

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

4% more expensive than Kingsport(vs $1,383/mo)

02state income tax

6.5%

$542/mo more in state tax than Kingsport

vs 0% in Kingsport

03after rent

$6,358/mo

$592 less than Kingsport

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

04a house here

$277k

14% more expensive than Kingsport

vs $244k in Kingsport

05metro size

383k

vs 312k in Kingsport

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

191

pleasant days a year, in spartanburg.

Kingsport only manages 188 of those.

A real upgrade on things to do: 1.9× Kingsport's pace.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

15% higher than Kingsport

vs 59/100 in Kingsport

Closest outdoor draw: Croft State Park, 5 mi.

·walk score®

77/100

4% higher than Kingsport

vs 74/100 in Kingsport

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

20

400% more than Kingsport

vs 4 nonstops in Kingsport

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