What it's like to live in Greenville
Greenville is a smaller city in South Carolina with commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, a growing population, and hospitals with strong quality ratings. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Greenville deals with home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and above-average rainfall.
The good
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
- Strong hospital ratings
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Greenville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Greenville
Based on Greenville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,624
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $52,480 a year
- 48% of Greenville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$97,500
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $48,750
- Homes cost 6.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,312/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,312 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are steep, with a median around $487,500. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $487,500 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 12% below US
3.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 41% above US
466 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2866/100k · Greenville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 27% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 16% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 32°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
4 hospitals
There are 4 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.3 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 54% above US
56% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
26 public schools inside the boundary
There are 26 public schools inside the boundary and 17 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (30 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Greenville's strongest points are commutes that run shorter than most cities and a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,312/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (16% of workers here already work from home), people who want short commutes, and college-educated professionals.
See all the data for Greenville →·All South Carolina cities →
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