Cost of Living in Spartanburg, SC
Spartanburg, SC — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Spartanburg, SC to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Spartanburg, SC?
With a price level of 91.1 (U.S. average = 100), Spartanburg, SC is cheaper than average. In detail, housing costs are 32% below average; everyday goods are 4% below average; utilities are 12% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining are 2% below average. The biggest difference from the national average is in housing.
Prices in Spartanburg, SC vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 91.1 | −8.9% |
| Housing | 68.0 | −32.0% |
| Goods | 96.3 | −3.7% |
| Utilities | 88.3 | −11.7% |
| Other services | 98.3 | −1.7% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Spartanburg, SC
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,015 | $40,600/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,061 | $42,440/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,176 | $47,040/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,426 | $57,040/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,639 | $65,560/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Spartanburg, SC
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Spartanburg, SC | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $36,400 | $30,401 |
| $60,000 | $54,600 | $43,932 |
| $80,000 | $72,800 | $56,834 |
| $100,000 | $91,100 | $68,610 |
| $150,000 | $136,600 | $97,593 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, South Carolina 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Spartanburg, SC's median wage of $47,650 takes home about $3,230 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $1,061, which is 33% of take-home pay — above the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $2,169 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Spartanburg, SC
- Federal income tax$3,538
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,954
- Medicare (1.45%)$691
- South Carolina income tax$1,702
- Take-home pay$38,765
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Highest-paying jobs in Spartanburg, SC
| Job | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers | $92,070 | $69,234 | $76,039 |
| Registered Nurse | $82,360 | $62,986 | $69,176 |
| Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator | $59,300 | $47,427 | $52,088 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver | $50,700 | $41,033 | $45,065 |
| Customer Service Representative | $42,220 | $34,728 | $38,141 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $37,540 | $31,248 | $34,319 |
| Office Clerks, General | $37,300 | $31,070 | $34,123 |
| Stocker and Order Filler | $36,560 | $30,519 | $33,519 |
| Retail Salesperson | $30,540 | $26,044 | $28,603 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aide | $30,190 | $25,783 | $28,317 |
| Cashier | $29,960 | $25,612 | $28,130 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $27,390 | $23,679 | $26,007 |
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in South Carolina cities
Half of South Carolina’s 2,305,080 workers earn less than $46,490 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $34,630–$70,340 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Spartanburg, SC stretches a paycheck furthest, while Myrtle Beach, SC is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | $49,990 | 97.3 | $1,428 | 42% | $1,947 | $41,608 |
| Greenville, SC | $46,580 | 93.3 | $1,155 | 37% | $2,009 | $40,713 |
| Columbia, SC | $46,430 | 93.7 | $1,139 | 36% | $2,016 | $40,420 |
| Charleston, SC | $49,150 | 101.0 | $1,630 | 49% | $1,693 | $39,500 |
| Augusta, GA | $45,990 | 91.9 | $1,110 | 35% | $2,018 | $40,837 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $47,650 | 91.1 | $1,061 | 33% | $2,169 | $42,575 |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | $37,930 | 93.6 | $1,229 | 47% | $1,399 | $33,679 |
| Florence, SC | $43,520 | 86.8 | $922 | 31% | $2,053 | $41,135 |
| Hilton Head Island, SC | $43,850 | 98.0 | $1,623 | 54% | $1,372 | $36,667 |
| Sumter, SC | $42,890 | 88.0 | $972 | 33% | $1,963 | $40,020 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Spartanburg, SC vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg, SC | 91.1 | $1,061 | $47,650 | 165,150 |
| Montgomery, AL | 89.7 | $870 | $44,950 | 165,550 |
| Peoria, IL | 91.2 | $818 | $49,590 | 166,020 |
| Lubbock, TX | 91.3 | $974 | $42,130 | 166,780 |
| Beaumont, TX | 90.0 | $898 | $48,630 | 163,220 |
| Canton, OH | 89.4 | $846 | $45,810 | 163,080 |
| Shreveport, LA | 84.8 | $982 | $44,820 | 162,750 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Spartanburg, SC expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Spartanburg, SC metro area are 91.1% of the U.S. average, with housing at 68.0%. It is the #267 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Spartanburg, SC?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $54,631 in Spartanburg, SC (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $47,650.
Can you afford Spartanburg, SC on the median wage?
A single worker on the $47,650 median wage takes home about $3,230 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $1,061 would take 33% of that.
How much is rent in Spartanburg, SC?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Spartanburg, SC are $1,015 for a studio, $1,061 for one bedroom, $1,176 for two bedrooms and $1,426 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Spartanburg, SC
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $82,360
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $30,190
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,390
Sales and Related Occupations
- Retail Salesperson — $30,540
- Cashier — $29,960
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- Customer Service Representative — $42,220
- Office Clerks, General — $37,300
Production Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $92,070
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $59,300
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $50,700
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $37,540
- Stocker and Order Filler — $36,560