Richland County vs Spartanburg County
Richland County, South Carolina versus Spartanburg 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.
Richland County and Spartanburg County score about the same overall (44 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Richland County | Spartanburg County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $60k | $62k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $51k |
| Home Value | $201k | $196k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $960 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.74% | 0.59% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.50% | 7.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.36% | 10.73% |
| Unemployment | 6.8% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 47°F | 43°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.4 in | 51.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.4 in | 1.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 234 days | 249 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 86 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 93.1 | 90.6 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 76.1 | 51.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1785/100k | 1768/100k |
| Property Crime | 2873/100k | 2146/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 416,161 | 330,119 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 38.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.59 | 0.47 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+39 | R+28 |
| White (%) | 40.8% | 66.8% |
| Black (%) | 46.9% | 20.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.4% | 7.6% |
| Asian (%) | 2.9% | 2.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 9.4/20 | 6.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 84 mi | 62 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.6% | 85.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 10.69 | 6.06 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
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 Richland County or Spartanburg County more affordable?
- Richland County has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Richland County's $50k and Spartanburg County's $51k. Median rent is $1k in Richland County versus $960 in Spartanburg County.
- Is Richland County or Spartanburg County safer?
- Spartanburg County has the lower violent crime rate. Richland County reports 1785/100k and Spartanburg County reports 1768/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Richland County or Spartanburg County?
- The median home value is $201k in Richland County and $196k in Spartanburg County, so homes are more affordable in Spartanburg County.