Spartanburg receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
College Station-Bryan
Spartanburg
Opportunity
58 · Top 44%
vs59 · Top 43%
Growth
94 · Top 1%
vs90 · Top 1%
Climate
69 · Top 43%
vs76 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 20%
vs68 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 12%
vs91 · Bottom 38%
Access
60 · Bottom 21%
vs85 · Top 34%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 31%
vs53 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | College Station-Bryan | Spartanburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 278,335 | 374,737 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,087 | $64,382 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,582 | $33,580 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 133/sq mi | 283/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $279,700 | $225,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,178 | $1,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.1% | 72.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.7% | 24.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.7% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,357 | 4,460 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.1 | 11.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 57.6% | 14.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.8" | 49.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 70 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.6 | 38.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
College Station-Bryan
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Spartanburg
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
College Station-Bryan
66
Your Score
69
Area Score
Spartanburg
75
Your Score
74
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: College Station-Bryan, TX Metro Area · Spartanburg, SC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology