same $100k income, fresh start from Portland

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Spartanburg, SC cityscape

from portland

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

$535

under Portland, every month

Spartanburg is the easier version of your monthly budget. Lower rent, lighter monthly outlay.
landable, recorded on the spartanburg entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,434/mo

19% cheaper than Portland(vs $1,781/mo)

02state income tax

6.5%

$187/mo less in state tax than Portland

vs 8.75% in Portland

03after rent

$6,358/mo

$535 more than Portland

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

04a house here

$277k

51% cheaper than Portland

vs $562k in Portland

05metro size

383k

vs 2.5M in Portland

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

191

pleasant days a year, in spartanburg.

Portland only manages 178 of those.

Portland hosts 8.2× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

22% lower than Portland

vs 87/100 in Portland

Closest outdoor draw: Croft State Park, 5 mi.

·walk score®

77/100

23% lower than Portland

vs 100/100 in Portland

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

20

65% fewer than Portland

vs 57 nonstops in Portland

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