same $100k income, fresh start from Philadelphia

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Spartanburg, SC cityscape

next stop after philadelphia

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

$462

lighter monthly cost than Philadelphia

Not a fortune, but real money. Spartanburg runs cheaper than Philadelphia month over month.
landable, recorded on the spartanburg entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,434/mo

23% cheaper than Philadelphia(vs $1,869/mo)

02state income tax

6.5%

$27/mo less in state tax than Philadelphia

vs 6.82% in Philadelphia

03after rent

$6,358/mo

$462 more than Philadelphia

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

04a house here

$277k

29% cheaper than Philadelphia

vs $393k in Philadelphia

05metro size

383k

vs 6.2M in Philadelphia

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

191

pleasant days a year, in spartanburg.

Philadelphia only logs 173 pleasant days.

But the calendar thins out: Philadelphia stays 12.3× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

1% lower than Philadelphia

vs 69/100 in Philadelphia

Closest outdoor draw: Croft State Park, 5 mi.

·walk score®

77/100

23% lower than Philadelphia

vs 100/100 in Philadelphia

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

20

84% fewer than Philadelphia

vs 122 nonstops in Philadelphia

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as spartanburg:

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