$100k salary, packing up from Memphis

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Spartanburg, SC cityscape

next stop after memphis

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

$539

the monthly premium over Memphis

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

0% more expensive than Memphis(vs $1,436/mo)

02state income tax

6.5%

$542/mo more in state tax than Memphis

vs 0% in Memphis

03after rent

$6,358/mo

$539 less than Memphis

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

04a house here

$277k

14% more expensive than Memphis

vs $244k in Memphis

05metro size

383k

vs 1.3M in Memphis

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

191

pleasant days a year, in spartanburg.

Memphis only manages 185 of those.

Lighter on events: Memphis packs 2.4× more into a month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

21% higher than Memphis

vs 56/100 in Memphis

Closest outdoor draw: Croft State Park, 5 mi.

·walk score®

77/100

13% lower than Memphis

vs 89/100 in Memphis

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

20

37% fewer than Memphis

vs 32 nonstops in Memphis

04 · see also

same energy as spartanburg, different zip code:

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