MetricBerea, SCParker, SC
Population16,86212,898
Median Household Income$49,829$40,043
Median Rent$1,076/mo$1,099/mo
Median Home Value$204,700$150,400
Cost of Living (US = 100)9393
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income60.6%61.2%
Poverty Rate22.9%29.6%
Unemployment Rate3.9% (county)3.9% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k323*323*
Property Crime Rate /100k1,223*1,223*
Median AQI4747
Good AQI Days /yr203203
Summer Highs89°F85°F
Winter Lows37°F32°F
Snowfall2 in/yr2 in/yr
Avg Commute24.6 min24.4 min
Hospitals——
Avg Hospital Rating——
Students per Teacher1511.8
College Degree Rate21.3%15.9%
Foreign-Born %18.4%19.7%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+13.6%+2.8%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.
* Rate of the agency that polices both cities (the city has no police department of its own), so it isn’t scored.