Moving from Spartanburg to Greenville
Your paycheck buys slightly less in Greenville than in Spartanburg (-2.4%); you'd need about $72,100 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Greenville: $72,100
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $72,100 in Greenville, SC to match $70,000 in Spartanburg, SC ($2,100 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in South Carolina, so state income tax is the same; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Spartanburg vs Greenville: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,139 → $1,236/mo
- Median home value
- $257,800 → $300,400
- Median household income
- $68,505 → $75,881
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 91.1 → 93.3
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (88.2 → 88.9 of 100)
Spartanburg vs Greenville cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Spartanburg, SC | Greenville, SC |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 91.1 | 93.3 |
| Median rent | $1,139 | $1,236 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $45,560 | $49,440 |
| Median home value | $257,800 | $300,400 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $1,592 | $1,821 |
| Income needed to buy | $68,219 | $78,045 |
| Median property tax | $1,325 | $1,369 |
| State income tax on $70,000 | $2,326 | $2,326 |
| Metro population | 395,934 | 996,680 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Spartanburg vs Greenville
On a $70,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $39,781 a year in Spartanburg and $40,945 in Greenville if you rent: $1,164 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $45,214 and $47,966 ($2,752 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | SpartanburgBefore | GreenvilleAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $70,000, single filer | $14,251 | $14,251 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,794 | $1,794 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,367 | $1,367 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,933 | $1,933 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $6,768 | $6,768 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $13,668 | $14,832 | +$1,164 |
| Total if you rent | $39,781 | $40,945 | +$1,164 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $16,382 | $19,090 | +$2,708 |
| Property tax median home | $1,325 | $1,369 | +$44 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,394 | $1,394 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $45,214 | $47,966 | +$2,752 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $10,474 a year in Spartanburg and $10,474 in Greenville (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Spartanburg to Greenville
About 2,451 households (4,378 people) moved from the Spartanburg metro area to the Greenville metro area in 2022–2023, making Greenville the #1 destination for people leaving Spartanburg among the 149 metro areas we cover. 3,374 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $56,311.
Cost to move from Spartanburg to Greenville
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 30 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Spartanburg vs Greenville
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Spartanburg area among the highest (score 88.2) and the Greenville area among the highest (score 88.9), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $287 vs $324 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Greenville cheaper than Spartanburg?
Overall prices in the Greenville area are 2.4% higher than in Spartanburg (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,236 vs $1,139 a month, and the median home is $300,400 vs $257,800.
What salary do I need in Greenville to match $100,000 in Spartanburg?
About $102,800, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in South Carolina, so state income tax is the same.
How much does it cost to move from Spartanburg to Greenville?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 30 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Spartanburg to Greenville?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 2,451 households (4,378 people) moved from the Spartanburg metro area to the Greenville metro area, and 3,374 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Spartanburg move
- Charlotte 276 households
- Columbia 214 households
- Charleston 207 households
- Asheville 135 households
- Atlanta 88 households
- Myrtle Beach 69 households
- Raleigh 36 households
- Phoenix 25 households