What to Know About the Cost of Living in Spartanburg, SC
While the Hub City is relatively small (approximately 40,000 people), its charm and variety of amenities are quite the opposite. Spartanburg, SC, residents have access to community events, outdoor recreation options, great food and arts scenes, and an affordable cost of living. Ahead, locals Sophi Schwartzbauer and Lazarius Tinsley share why Spartanburg, SC, is such a great place to live and the effects of the city’s cost of living on their wallets.
Schwartzbauer grew up in the Spartanburg area before attending college in Colorado, where she lived for several years before returning to the area with her husband. She is the director of development for the Spartanburg Community College Foundation & Alumni Association. Tinsley, who grew up in Atlanta, moved to the area to play college football at Limestone University in nearby Gaffney. After a stint playing football in Canada, he returned to Spartanburg because, he says, “It was pulling me in and felt like a second home.” He is the assistant vice president at Truist Bank.
What do you love about living in Spartanburg, SC?
Schwartzbauer: I love that the cost of living is affordable and that it has a laid-back culture. Everyone’s super friendly and not in too much of a hurry to get places. Driving is more comfortable because the traffic isn’t crazy. You feel like you can breathe easier. It’s a great hub for regional or international travel because it’s close to major airports. We’re close to so much fun stuff in Spartanburg, too, like the mountains and the beach. I love it as a home base because all my money isn’t tied to my house, so I can spend more on traveling to all the places I want to go.
Tinsley: I love that once you’re in downtown Spartanburg, everything is pretty walkable. In Atlanta, not everyone wants to say, ‘How’s it going?’ but in Spartanburg, it seems like everyone does, and they actually listen to what you have going on. I love the friendliness and warmth here. I go to a church called The Grove, and it’s the most humbling and warm feeling every time I walk in there. Every time I go to Atlanta from Spartanburg, it’s a totally different feeling.
What low-cost indoor and outdoor activities does living in Spartanburg, SC, afford you?
Sophi Schwartzbauer
Schwartzbauer: One of Spartanburg’s biggest assets is the Daniel Morgan Trail System. I love to walk, go on runs or walk the dog on the trail. The system keeps growing and has over (55) miles now. It connects different parts of the city, so you’ll pass coffee shops, restaurants, bars and a dog park. It’s fun to just traverse the city on foot.
My other favorite activity is seeing a Spartanburgers baseball game. They just had their inaugural season, and it was a lot of fun. Downtown, we have so many great restaurants and bars. I love going out with girlfriends and getting fun cocktails. We love Isla’s on the Square. It has fantastic drinks and a rooftop bar called Level 10. I also love to explore small towns, like Landrum, in the area. It’s about 20 minutes from Spartanburg, with great restaurants and a lot of fun antique stores. It’s a nice change of scenery.
Tinsley: I like to go to FR8yard, a brewery in the middle of downtown. You can go there and watch football games outside if the weather is good, and it’s always a great time. Everyone comes and socializes. You don’t have to be drinking, though, and you can bring your kids. You’ll often meet a friendly face who will introduce you to other people. I also like going hiking. A cool asset of living in Spartanburg, SC, is having the Mary Black Rail Trail, which they’re expanding all the way to North Carolina.
What was renting or buying a house like in Spartanburg, SC?
Schwartzbauer: Before we bought our house, we rented a house with a porch and a small yard for $1,200 that was walkable to downtown. Our mortgage payment now is roughly $1,500. In Colorado, we maybe could have bought a one-bedroom apartment for the same cost as our home here, which is a three-bedroom, two-bath home on almost an acre of land.
Lazarius Tinsley
Tinsley: When I was considering going back to Atlanta or living in Spartanburg, SC, I looked at the affordability of housing, and in Spartanburg, you can get a good place to rent that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. If you want to buy a house, the average price point is much cheaper than the national average. You’re getting a nice space and not having to pay so much in taxes. Even though we’re a hub city, it’s very affordable and still has a homey, small-town feel.
This article is sponsored by OneSpartanburg Inc.
