$100k salary, packing up from Tucson

change
Spartanburg, SC cityscape

instead of tucson

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

$323

more each month than Tucson ran you

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

1% cheaper than Tucson(vs $1,444/mo)

02state income tax

6.5%

$333/mo more in state tax than Tucson

vs 2.5% in Tucson

03after rent

$6,358/mo

$323 less than Tucson

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

04a house here

$277k

21% cheaper than Tucson

vs $352k in Tucson

05metro size

383k

vs 1.1M in Tucson

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

191

pleasant days a year, in spartanburg.

Tucson actually gets more: 202 pleasant days a year.

But the calendar thins out: Tucson stays 2.2× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

3% higher than Tucson

vs 66/100 in Tucson

Closest outdoor draw: Croft State Park, 5 mi.

·walk score®

77/100

15% higher than Tucson

vs 67/100 in Tucson

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

20

25% more than Tucson

vs 16 nonstops in Tucson

04 · see also

if spartanburg appeals, also worth a look:

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