Is it cheaper to live in Greenville or Paterson?

Greenville, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Paterson, NJ's $1,430, mainly because of electricity costs.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Greenville than in Paterson?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Greenville versus $47,000 in Paterson.

Which has lower taxes, Greenville or Paterson?

Greenville is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax).

Greenville vs Paterson Cost of Living 2026

Greenville

South Carolina

$1,300/mo est.

Paterson

New Jersey

$1,430/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in Greenville, SC versus $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, Greenville, SC is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Paterson, NJ, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $68,460 in Greenville, SC and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 21% higher in Greenville, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Greenville, SC

Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio

$1,175

$786

+33% in Greenville, SC

1 Bedroom

$1,113

$1,183

+6% in Paterson, NJ

2 Bedroom

$1,325

$1,468

+11% in Paterson, NJ

3 Bedroom

$1,550

$1,729

+12% in Paterson, NJ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$453,300

$335,400

+26% in Greenville, SC

Income

Median Household Income

$68,460

$53,766

+21% in Greenville, SC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,580

$61,430

+32% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.8 yr

33.3 yr

+1.5 yr in Greenville, SC

Homeownership

41.2%

26.2%

+15.0 pp in Greenville, SC

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.0%

12.5%

+42.5 pp in Greenville, SC

Avg Commute

19.9 min

23.1 min

+3.2 min in Paterson, NJ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

649.8

1,010.1

+55% in Paterson, NJ

Property Crime

3,479.3

2,391.4

+31% in Greenville, SC

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

60.5°F

52.2°F

+8.3°F in Greenville, SC

Annual Precipitation

50.8 in

49.0 in

+1.7 in in Greenville, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

about equal

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.6

24.9

+60% in Paterson, NJ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$29.07

$17.68

+39% in Greenville, SC

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Paterson, NJ

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.92

+10% in Paterson, NJ

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Greenville, SC

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.90

+7% in Paterson, NJ

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.19

+15% in Paterson, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Paterson, NJ

Average prices — South vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / NJ)

6.625%

+0.6 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

10.75%

+4.8 pp in NJ

Greenville vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Greenville or Paterson?: Greenville, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Paterson, NJ's $1,430, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Greenville than in Paterson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Greenville versus $47,000 in Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, Greenville or Paterson?: Greenville is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).