$100k a year, no longer in Phoenix

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Spartanburg, SC cityscape

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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

$28

the monthly cost of moving past Phoenix

Almost a wash on cost. The case for Spartanburg is about what you'd do there, not what you'd save.
landable, recorded on the spartanburg entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,434/mo

18% cheaper than Phoenix(vs $1,739/mo)

02state income tax

6.5%

$333/mo more in state tax than Phoenix

vs 2.5% in Phoenix

03after rent

$6,358/mo

$28 less than Phoenix

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

04a house here

$277k

39% cheaper than Phoenix

vs $458k in Phoenix

05metro size

383k

vs 5.1M in Phoenix

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

191

pleasant days a year, in spartanburg.

Phoenix barely cracks 181 pleasant ones.

Lighter on events: Phoenix packs 13.3× more into a month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

3% higher than Phoenix

vs 66/100 in Phoenix

Closest outdoor draw: Croft State Park, 5 mi.

·walk score®

77/100

21% lower than Phoenix

vs 97/100 in Phoenix

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

20

78% fewer than Phoenix

vs 91 nonstops in Phoenix

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