Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety12#815/924
Economy41#547/925
Housing53#438/925
Health40#559/925
Healthcare40#557/923
Environment42#533/917
Education39#561/925
Infrastructure35#603/925
Community45#510/925
Leisure & amenities22#723/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Spartanburg, SC metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

New homes permitted · high12.0 /1k
97/100South Carolina 8.5 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1kSep 2025–Aug 2026U.S. Census BureauProvisional data
Distance to an airport · low16 mi
90/100South Carolina 24 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Mammography screening · high54.0%
86/100South Carolina 51.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Job growth · high1.4%
84/100South Carolina 0.7%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional data
Distance to an Amtrak station · low9 mi
84/100South Carolina 18 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Comfortable days · high30.7%
83/100South Carolina 31.6%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Homicide rate · high8.1 /100k
13/100South Carolina 8.4 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Violent crime rate · high434 /100k
16/100South Carolina 388 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from counties
Drought exposure · high76%
18/100South Carolina 72%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAAggregated from counties
Median Air Quality Index · high48
19/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · high8.5 µg/m³
21/100South Carolina 8.1 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties
Traffic deaths · high21.0 /100k
22/100South Carolina 20.5 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
356,543 (2020) → 407,656 (2025)
+14%5 yearsUS 331,578,104 → 341,784,857
Drought exposureWorsening
5% (2021) → 76% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+72 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Child care cost burdenWorsening
20.4% (2020 & 2021) → 32.3% (2023 & 2024)
+12 pts3 yearsUS 24.5% → 27.9%
Drug overdose deathsImproving
42.7 /100k (2021) → 20.2 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−53%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
79.1% (2015-2019) → 88.2% (2020-2024)
+9.1 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Property crime rateImproving
2,475 /100k (2020) → 1,357 /100k (2025)
−45%5 yearsUS 1,929 /100k → 1,535 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Spartanburg, SC metro area improved on 14 of 32 measures with a comparison and declined on 8. 6 moved within the margin of error and 4 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved14

Suicides−27%19.5 /100k → 14.1 /100k
Property crime−45%2,475 /100k → 1,357 /100k
Gyms+16%0.9 /10k → 1.0 /10k
Weekly wage+25%$947 → $1,186
High school++2.2 points85.7% → 87.9%

Declined8

Libraries−12%0.4 /10k → 0.4 /10k
Commute+2.3 min23.0 min → 25.3 min
Restaurants−13%8.0 /10k → 6.9 /10k
Price / income+0.8×2.7× → 3.5×
Homicides+5.1%7.7 /100k → 8.1 /100k

All 32 measures

Change of every measure of Spartanburg, SC metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.4 /10k2020	2.6 /10k2025	+10%	Improved	55%
Average commute time	23.0 min2015-2019	25.3 min2020-2024	+2.3 min	Declined	9%
Average weekly wage	$9472020	$1,1862025	+25%	Improved	68%
Bachelor's degree or higher	24.5%2015-2019	24.3%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	6%
Broadband subscriptions	79.1%2015-2019	88.2%2020-2024	+9.1 points	Improved	52%
Child poverty rate	21.3%2015-2019	20.2%2020-2024	−1.1 points	Within the margin of error	35%
Distance to an airport	16 mi2020	16 mi2025	−0 mi	Little change	95%
Drug overdose deaths	32.2 /100k2020	20.2 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−37%	Improved	66%
Effective property tax rate	0.63%2015-2019	0.58%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	22%
Firearm deaths	20.6 /100k2020	18.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−9.3%	Improved	65%
Grocery stores	1.3 /10k2020	1.3 /10k2025	−0.9%	Little change	46%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.9 /10k2020	1.0 /10k2025	+16%	Improved	66%
High school diploma or higher	85.7%2015-2019	87.9%2020-2024	+2.2 points	Improved	64%
Home price to income ratio	2.7×2015-2019	3.5×2020-2024	+0.8×	Declined	21%
Homicide rate	7.7 /100k2020	8.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+5.1%	Declined	18%
Income adjusted for local prices	$48,6862019	$60,4372024	+24%	Improved	6%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4572015-2019	0.4532020-2024	−0.004	Within the margin of error	68%
Median household income	$52,3322015-2019	$64,3822020-2024	+23%	Improved	28%
New business applications	11.7 /1k2020	15.4 /1k2025	+32%	Improved	29%
Pharmacies	2.0 /10k2020	1.6 /10k2025	−17%	Declined	26%
Poverty rate	14.0%2015-2019	15.1%2020-2024	+1 points	Within the margin of error	12%
Property crime rate	2,475 /100k2020	1,357 /100k2025	−45%	Improved	75%
Public libraries	0.4 /10k2019	0.4 /10k2024	−12%	Declined	9%
Public transit commuters	0.4%2015-2019	0.1%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Little change	58%
Rent as share of income	28.4%2015-2019	29.9%2020-2024	+1.5 points	Within the margin of error	27%
Rent-burdened households	45.8%2015-2019	49.9%2020-2024	+4.1 points	Declined	25%
Restaurants and bars	8.0 /10k2020	6.9 /10k2025	−13%	Declined	8%
Suicide rate	19.5 /100k2020	14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−27%	Improved	91%
Traffic deaths	20.7 /100k2015-2019	21.0 /100k2020-2024	+1.4%	Little change	60%
Unemployment rate	6.6%2020	4.6%2025	−2 points	Improved	22%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	11.8%2015-2019	12.7%2020-2024	+0.9 points	Declined	20%
Violent crime rate	517 /100k2020	434 /100k2025	−16%	Improved	50%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Spartanburg, SC metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Spartanburg, SC metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Spartanburg, SC metro area itself moved −4.2 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

374,737 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

143,283 households (±834)

Spartanburg, SC metro area
United States share

Under $25k18%25,262
$25k–50k21%30,691
$50k–75k18%25,643

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

143,283 households (±834)

Spartanburg, SC metro area
United States share

Own73%104,370
Rent27%38,913

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+2.2 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

171,117 workers (±2,113)

Spartanburg, SC metro area
United States share

Drive alone79%135,753
Carpool10%17,282
Public transit0.1%†219

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Spartanburg, SC employ 49,300 people. 1 pay a median above the US median and 9 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Spartanburg, SC by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators11,790 jobs	11,790	$59,300US $44,650	+33%	7.9×
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand6,080 jobs	6,080	$37,540US $40,240	−7%	1.94×
Cashiers5,420 jobs	5,420	$29,960US $32,880	−9%	1.65×
Fast Food and Counter Workers4,870 jobs	4,870	$27,390US $31,200	−12%	1.19×
Registered Nurses4,440 jobs	4,440	$82,360US $97,550	−16%	1.24×
Retail Salespersons3,790 jobs	3,790	$30,540US $35,410	−14%	0.91×
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers3,630 jobs	3,630	$50,700US $58,640	−14%	1.66×
Stockers and Order Fillers3,380 jobs	3,380	$36,560US $37,330	−2%	1.12×
Home Health and Personal Care Aides3,160 jobs	3,160	$30,190US $35,800	−16%	0.69×
Customer Service Representatives2,740 jobs	2,740	$42,220US $44,770	−6%	0.99×

Look up any occupation

Search more than 800 occupations and see what they pay in Spartanburg, SC.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025-05 (all industries and ownerships) bls.gov/oes

Reference period: 2025-05. BLS publishes metro areas, states and the nation (not counties or cities), so a county or city page shows its metro area.
Pay is not adjusted for the cost of living, so a higher median does not mean more purchasing power.
BLS caps the highest wages it publishes: where a figure is shown as “or more”, the real value is at least that much.
Some occupations (teachers, performers) are published by the hour or school year and shown here as an annual figure.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Spartanburg, SC has 7,817 employer establishments, 203 for every 10,000 residents (0.82× the US rate of 248), with 155,964 paid employees at an average annual pay of $55,886. The Census Bureau also counts 35,603 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 7,817; 35,603 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 203; US 248
Paid employees: 155,964
Average annual pay: $55,886; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Spartanburg, SC by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	582	15.1	0.82×About typical	11,968	$19,293	198
Specialty trade contractors	499	12.9	0.84×About typical	5,323	$67,063	2,723
Ambulatory health care services	437	11.3	0.54×Fewer than typical	5,823	$88,727	1,158
Religious organizations	395	10.2	1.85×More than typical	2,508	$22,291	—
Lessors of real estate	285	7.4	0.60×Fewer than typical	658	$52,974	2,511
Limited-service restaurants	272	7.1	0.88×About typical	6,286	$19,130	66
Full-service restaurants	257	6.7	0.87×About typical	4,946	$19,981	82
Truck transportation	251	6.5	1.29×More than typical	3,094	$66,725	2,281
Services to buildings and dwellings	211	5.5	0.81×About typical	1,627	$36,825	2,728
Automotive repair and maintenance	200	5.2	1.03×About typical	1,263	$42,842	927
Building equipment contractors	192	5	0.83×About typical	2,054	$62,998	589
Gasoline stations	187	4.8	1.50×More than typical	1,608	$30,771	11

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 385,705 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $69.9M on contracts performed in Spartanburg, SC metro area: $172 per resident (US $1,995).

Obligations: $69.9M; +105% vs FY2025
Per resident: $172; US $1,995
Sole-source: 57%; US 30%
Single offer: 3.2%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of State$33.1M47%
Defense Commissary Agency$17.5M25%
Defense Logistics Agency$9.5M14%
Department of the Army$5.9M8.4%
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration$858.6K1.2%
Federal Prison Industries / Unicor$736.4K1.1%
Federal Prison System / Bureau of Prisons$698.3K1.0%
Department of the Navy$689.3K1.0%

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

15.7MFY2017
71.8MFY2018
19.8MFY2019
62.4MFY2020
31.8MFY2021
44.7MFY2022
69.1MFY2023
49.6M

Top industries (NAICS)

Motor vehicle manufacturing · 3361$33.1M47%
Converted paper product manufacturing · 3222$17.5M25%
Bakeries and tortilla manufacturing · 3118$4.6M6.6%
Motor vehicle parts manufacturing · 3363$3.7M5.3%
Special food services · 7223$2.9M4.1%
Drycleaning and laundry services · 8123$2.4M

Largest awards

BMW ARMORED X5S AND 7 SERIES$19.5M
BMW OF NORTH AMERICA LLC· Spartanburg County, SC· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· Jul 13, 2026 – Jul 13, 2026· 19AQMM26F0850
REMEDIAL ACTION FOR WORK AT THE FORMER CAMP CROFT PROJECT 07, PHASE II, SPARTANBURG, SC$9.6M
WESTON SOLUTIONS INC· Spartanburg County, SC· Facilities & utilities· Sep 25, 2024 – Nov 5, 2025· W912DY24F0420
HQC00422D0005 - SEPG MOSPB 5/1/25 - 4/30/26 - DELIVERY ORDER HQC00425FE223$9.3M
SOUTHEASTERN PAPER GROUP, LLC· Spartanburg County, SC· Other equipment & supplies· May 22, 2025 – May 4, 2026· HQC00425FE223
BMW SECURITY X5 ARMORED VEHICLE.

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $2.4B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Spartanburg, SC metro area: $5,830 per resident (US $12,957).

Assistance · FY2026: $2.4B; −2.8% vs FY2025
Per resident: $5,830; US $12,957
Loan face value: $153.9M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.1%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$1.5B63%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$266.9M11%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$234.9M9.9%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$128.5M5.4%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$64.3M2.7%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$42M1.8%
20.933 · National Infrastructure Investments$21.7M0.9%
14.871 · Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers$19.7M0.8%

Top recipients (organizations)

SPARTANBURG, COUNTY OF$24.8M1.0%
SPARTANBURG, SC
SPARTANBURG HOUSING$22.3M0.9%
SPARTANBURG, SC
SPARTANBURG COMMUNITY COLLEGE$17.7M0.7%
SPARTANBURG, SC
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA$17.4M0.7%
SPARTANBURG, SC
SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$15.4M

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$2B82%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$267.9M11%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Education$53.7M2.3%
Federal Highway Administration$38.8M1.6%
Department of Transportation
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing$25.4M

Assistance by fiscal year

1.9BFY2021
2BFY2022
2.1BFY2023
2.3BFY2024
2.4BFY2025
2.4BFY2026

County aggregates

94%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Spartanburg, SC

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

SpartanburgPrincipal city38,910

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in South Carolina

Areas based in South Carolina, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M43900

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved14

Declined8

Metro and micro areas like Spartanburg, SC metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Look up any occupation

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Spartanburg, SC

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in South Carolina

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved14

Declined8

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought