Evaluated, not offering now
Investing in Spartanburg rental property
Spartanburg is one of the fastest-growing metros in the country, built around BMW's largest plant and a deep manufacturing base. Rental property pays a high tax rate, builders are adding supply quickly, and rental vacancy sits above the national rate.
Spartanburg covers Spartanburg and Union counties and about 408,000 people. Population rose 2.75% in the year to July 2025, the third-fastest of 387 metros, and employment rose 1.97% in the year to September 2026, against 0.32% nationally. BMW's Plant Spartanburg employs more than 11,000 people, and BMW's new battery plant in Woodruff starts production in December 2026. Single-family rents rose 3.25%, against 3.13% nationally. The pressure is on cost and supply: rental property in the city pays about 2.909% of value in tax, and builders permitted 4,075 single-family properties in 2025. Lineage studied this market and is not offering properties here now.
What’s changing in Spartanburg, SC
Dated announcements that bring jobs. Announced means planned, and operating means people work there now.
- July 2026
BMW finishes a $1.7 billion South Carolina investment
$1 billion for the Spartanburg plant expansion and $700 million for the Woodruff battery plant
What it means for rentersA larger plant keeps parts suppliers, logistics firms, and contractors busy along the I-85 corridor, and their workers rent near Duncan, Lyman, and Woodruff. BMW has committed to at least six electric X models built in South Carolina by 2030.
Source: FITSNews - Under constructionDecember 2026
BMW's Woodruff battery plant starts series production
300+ employees and 250 robots building battery packs for the electric iX5
What it means for rentersNew battery work adds jobs at BMW and at the firms that supply and maintain the line, which supports rental demand in southern Spartanburg County.
Source: bmwblog - Under constructionNovember 3, 2025
Woodward builds an aircraft actuation plant in Greer
About $200 million; about 275 jobs; operations expected in 2027
What it means for rentersThe plant makes spoiler actuation systems for the Airbus A350. Machinists and engineers hired from 2027 will add to the aerospace work already near the Greenville-Spartanburg airport, and construction trades rent in the meantime.
Source: Woodward
Show all 5 announcements
- Under constructionApril 2025 announcement; under construction July 2026
NorthMark Strategies builds a computing center on the former Kohler site
About $2.8 billion at announcement, reported as nearly $3 billion in July 2026; 27 permanent jobs; a 450-megawatt power request was still under state review in July 2026
What it means for rentersConstruction brings electricians, pipefitters, and equipment installers for a long build, and they rent while the work lasts. Few permanent jobs follow, so the lasting rental demand is much smaller than the dollar figure suggests.
Source: FOX Carolina - AnnouncedOctober 14, 2026
Seven Scout Motors suppliers expand in the Upstate
More than $82 million and 200 jobs across Spartanburg, Duncan, and Piedmont (Piedmont is outside Spartanburg County); Scout plans first deliveries from its Blythewood plant in 2028
What it means for rentersStamping, mirror, and seal makers hire ahead of Scout production. These are factory jobs near the BMW supplier base, and the workers rent first.
Source: FOX Carolina
The institutions that fill rentals in Spartanburg, SC
- EmployerMore than 11,000 employees
BMW Manufacturing, Plant Spartanburg
Builds the X3, X5, X6, X7, and XM and exports about half of its output.
Source: BMW Group - Employer300+ employees
BMW Plant Woodruff
New battery plant for the electric iX5, series production from December 2026.
Source: bmwblog - Hospital5,000+ Upstate employees (July 2024 list)
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System
The county's hospital system and one of its largest employers.
Source: Upstate SC Alliance - Employer2,501 to 5,000 Upstate employees (July 2024 list)
Milliken & Company
Headquartered in Spartanburg, with plants across the Upstate.
Source: Upstate SC Alliance
Spartanburg, SC against the national figure
The seven measures Lineage checks in every market, each beside the national figure for the same period.
Rent to price (gross yield)
near national- Spartanburg, SC
- 7.58%
- National
- 7.39%
On a $1,739 typical rent and a $275,342 typical value, rent relative to price is about average before South Carolina's higher tax on rentals.
Zillow ZORI and ZHVI, single-family · September 2026
Rent growth
near national- Spartanburg, SC
- +3.25%
- National
- +3.13%
Rents are keeping pace with the nation despite heavy building.
Zillow ZORI, single-family · September 2026
Jobs and population
above national- Spartanburg, SC
- Jobs +1.97%; population +2.75%
- National
- Jobs +0.32%; population +0.5%
Growth is among the fastest in the country, and manufacturing is still adding jobs.
BLS CES (preliminary); Census Vintage 2025 · September 2026 (jobs), July 2025 (population)
Vacancy and new supply
above national- Spartanburg, SC
- 6.89%
- National
- 5.54%
Builders permitted 4,075 single-family properties in 2025, about 10 per 1,000 residents against roughly 2.7 nationally, and new properties compete with rentals.
Census ACS 2020-2024; Census Building Permits Survey · 2020-2024 average; 2025 permits
Landlord law
favorable- Spartanburg, SC
- 5 days after rent is due
- National
- No national standard
Notice can sit in the lease, an uncontested eviction runs about three to four weeks, deposits are not capped, and rent control is preempted.
S.C. Code Title 27, Chapter 40; H.3387 (2026) · November 2026
Insurance
unfavorable- Spartanburg, SC
- +13.4% a year
- National
- +6.8% a year
Lineage sees $2,000 to $3,000 a year on a typical rental, and South Carolina premiums are rising about twice as fast as the national trend.
Lineage blend of Insurify 2025 and 2026 readings, same method for state and nation · October 2026
Property management depth
favorable- Spartanburg, SC
- About 10% fees
- National
- 10% to 12% fees
Several established managers, some with 1,000+ doors, give solid coverage across the county.
Lineage operator research; Lineage benchmark for a typical market · October 2026
Why Lineage is not offering properties in Spartanburg now
Property tax and new supply keep the numbers from working. A rental property inside the City of Spartanburg pays about 2.909% of its value in tax each year, nearly twice the 1.504% national average, and even unincorporated areas run about 2.08%. Add insurance premiums rising about 13.4% a year, and rent on a typical $275,342 property at the typical $1,739 rent does not cover the loan payment with room to spare. At the same time, builders permitted 4,075 single-family properties in 2025, about 10 per 1,000 residents against roughly 2.7 nationally, and rental vacancy is 6.89% against 5.54%. That is a reason for Lineage's buy box, not a verdict on Spartanburg as a place to own property.
Markets we offer that fit a similar investor
- Lineage offers propertiesGreensboro, NCAbout 170 miles northeast on I-85, a manufacturing metro with a new Toyota battery plant and rental property taxes around 1.1% to 1.2%.Greensboro-High Point is a working Piedmont metro where single-family rents and rental yields both run above the national figures and a new manufacturing base is forming around the airport and Randolph County.See the Greensboro market
- Lineage offers propertiesFayetteville, NCA rental-heavy military market with a 7.94% gross yield and property taxes of 0.9485% inside the city.Fayetteville is a Fort Bragg market where a large, rotating military population keeps rentals full and property taxes run well below the national average.See the Fayetteville market
Law, taxes, and insurance
Landlord law in South Carolina
South Carolina lets a landlord start an eviction when rent is five days late, after written notice, and that notice can be written into the lease itself. An uncontested eviction runs about three to four weeks. A 2026 law requires a tenant who appeals an eviction to keep paying rent and speeds the removal of squatters. The state sets no cap on security deposits, which must be returned with an itemized list within 30 days. Rent control is preempted statewide.
Taxes and insurance
South Carolina assesses rental property at 6% of market value, against 4% for an owner's residence, and rentals also pay the school operating tax that owners are exempt from. Inside the City of Spartanburg that comes to about 2.909% of value a year, about $8,010 on a typical $275,342 property, against a 1.504% national average. Unincorporated Spartanburg County, where most new building sits, runs about 2.08%, and Union County about 1.78%. Insurance runs $2,000 to $3,000 a year, but South Carolina premiums are trending up about 13.4% a year, against 6.8% nationally.
What could go wrong
BMW concentration
Manufacturing is 23.1% of jobs, against 8.0% nationally. In August 2026 FITSNews, citing unnamed officials, reported that BMW had warned of possible cuts over tariffs; BMW has announced none. A BMW cut or production pause would hit suppliers and rental demand together.
Heavy new building
Single-family permits rose 27.7% in 2025 and another 13% in 2026. New properties for sale compete with rentals for the same households.
High tax on rentals
Rental property inside the City of Spartanburg pays about 2.909% of value a year in tax.
Insurance trend
South Carolina premiums are rising about 13.4% a year, and FEMA rates ice storm risk very high in Spartanburg County.
Questions investors ask
Is Spartanburg SC a good place to buy rental property?
Spartanburg has some of the fastest population growth in the country and a major BMW investment behind it. For rental income, the catch is cost: rental property pays about 2.08% to 2.909% of value in tax, insurance is rising fast, and builders are adding supply quickly. Rent on a typical property does not carry the loan comfortably.
What is the average rent in Spartanburg?
Zillow's single-family rent index put the typical single-family rent in the Spartanburg metro at $1,739 a month in September 2026, up 3.25% from a year earlier, against 3.13% nationally. Rents in Duncan and Inman rose about 6% over the year.
Is South Carolina landlord friendly?
Yes. A landlord can start an eviction when rent is five days late, with the notice written into the lease, and an uncontested case runs about three to four weeks. There is no cap on deposits, rent control is preempted, and a 2026 law requires tenants who appeal an eviction to keep paying rent.
How many people work at BMW in Spartanburg?
BMW says more than 11,000 people work at Plant Spartanburg, and its new Woodruff battery plant has more than 300 employees. BMW completed a $1.7 billion South Carolina investment in 2026, and battery production in Woodruff starts in December 2026.
Sources and method
Reviewed October 2026 by Patrick Roach. Every market figure is paired with a national figure for the same period. Figures were current at review and will change. This page is research, not investment advice.
Show all 19 sources
- Zillow Research, ZORI single-family rent index Accessed 2026-11-13
- Zillow Research, ZHVI single-family value index Accessed 2026-11-13
- Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates Accessed 2026-11-13
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, 50-State Property Tax Comparison Study, 2025 Accessed 2026-11-13
- Insurify, 2026 home insurance price projections Accessed 2026-11-13
- S.C. Code Title 27, Chapter 40 Accessed 2026-11-13
- SC General Assembly, H.3387 Accessed 2026-11-13
- Insurify, first-half 2026 rate changes Accessed 2026-11-13
- BLS, Spartanburg Economy at a Glance Accessed 2026-11-13
- BMW Group, Plant Spartanburg Accessed 2026-11-13
- bmwblog, iX5 battery production starts December 2026 Accessed 2026-11-13
- FITSNews, BMW and South Carolina jobs Accessed 2026-11-13
- Upstate SC Alliance, major employers Accessed 2026-11-13
- Spartanburg County Auditor, 2026 levy sheet Accessed 2026-11-13
- Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey Accessed 2026-11-13
- Woodward, groundbreaking in Spartanburg County Accessed 2026-11-13
- FOX Carolina, Spartanburg data center construction (July 2026) Accessed 2026-11-13
- WSPA, NorthMark $2.8 billion operation in Spartanburg County Accessed 2026-11-13
- FOX Carolina, Scout Motors suppliers in Spartanburg Accessed 2026-11-13
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