01 · the cities
Greenville
Greenville built a city around a waterfall. The Reedy River drops right through downtown in Falls Park, with a suspension bridge curving over it that locals show off like a trophy. Main Street is a textbook of how to revitalize a small American city: brick, trees, patios, and a steady stream of festivals. BMW's largest factory in the world is a few miles up the road. The Blue Ridge foothills start just outside town.
full dispatch→Spartanburg
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.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,551/mo
$1,434/mo
$117/mo less than Greenville (8%)
Median home price
Median home price
$311k
$277k
$34k less than Greenville
State income tax
State income tax
6.5%
6.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,241/mo
$6,358/mo
Spartanburg has $117/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
202 days
191 days
11 fewer than Greenville
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
4 days
16 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
5 days
4 days
days below 20°F per year
Spartanburg has 12 more days above 95°F each year than Greenville.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
68 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
20 routes
20 routes
Metro size
Metro size
975k metro
383k metro
Greenville has 1.5x more events per month than Spartanburg.
the verdict
2
Greenville
categories won
3
Spartanburg
categories won
Spartanburg wins on money. Greenville has the edge on weather.
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