Greenville County vs Richland County
Greenville County, South Carolina versus Richland County, South Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Greenville County and Richland County score about the same overall (43 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Greenville County | Richland County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $71k | $60k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $50k |
| Home Value | $249k | $201k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.56% | 0.74% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.50% | 7.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.83% | 11.36% |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 6.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 43°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.7 in | 47.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.2 in | 0.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 249 days | 234 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 94.0 | 93.1 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 41.3 | 76.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1442/100k | 1785/100k |
| Property Crime | 2169/100k | 2873/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 528,251 | 416,161 |
| Median Age | 38.5 | 33.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.48 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | R+19 | D+39 |
| White (%) | 67.0% | 40.8% |
| Black (%) | 16.9% | 46.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.9% | 5.4% |
| Asian (%) | 2.5% | 2.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.7% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 8.6/20 | 9.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 89 mi | 84 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.9% | 87.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 8.27 | 10.69 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Greenville County or Richland County more affordable?
- Richland County has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Greenville County's $53k and Richland County's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Greenville County versus $1k in Richland County.
- Is Greenville County or Richland County safer?
- Greenville County has the lower violent crime rate. Greenville County reports 1442/100k and Richland County reports 1785/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Greenville County or Richland County?
- The median home value is $249k in Greenville County and $201k in Richland County, so homes are more affordable in Richland County.