Three Reasons Greenville, SC Is the Perfect Place to Raise a FamilyFebruary 25, 2026

Located in the heart of beautiful Upstate South Carolina, Greenville is alive with lush green spaces, a vibrant cultural scene, and a welcoming sense of community. The city pairs a low cost of living with an impressive quality of life, making it a great place for growing families. If you’re looking to make a move, read on to learn what family life in Greenville looks like.

Strong School System
Greenville families benefit from some of the highest-rated schools in the state, with ample public, private, magnet, and charter options. Greenville County schools have an average 90.6% graduation rate, which is about 4 percentage points higher than the South Carolina average. Additionally, schools in the district received higher than average marks for career readiness and several other metrics in the 2024-2025 school year. Greenville is also home to the SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, a residential high school offering pre-professional training in several creative disciplines.

Comfortable Cost of Living
Greenville, along with neighboring Spartanburg, anchors the Upstate region of South Carolina, a quickly growing area of 10 counties along I-85 in the state’s northwest. Although the area is growing, Greenville has remained an affordable place to live. According to the Economic Research Institute, Greenville’s cost of living is 8% below the national average and about average for South Carolina. 2025 median household income in Greenville was $76,647 compared to a recent state average of $66,818. Residents of Greenville and surrounding areas also enjoy South Carolina’s relatively low property taxes (average of 0.47%) and individual income taxes (0-6% rate for tax year 2025).

Small Town Community, Big City Amenities
With close to a million people in the metropolitan area, Greenville has grown into an active city with plenty of urban perks. The bustling downtown area offers walkable dining options, cozy breweries, and the gorgeous Falls Park on the Reedy. For cultural events, the Peace Center hosts a variety of productions, including concerts and off-Broadway shows. The city has exciting excursions for children too, like The Children’s Museum of the Upstate and the Greenville Zoo.

Along with these big city attractions, Greenville’s small-town feel lives on. Locally-owned restaurants, boutiques, and coffee shops are plentiful, and farmers markets and outdoor concerts create regular opportunities for connecting with neighbors.

For those looking for a true small town, Greenville is surrounded by more rural areas such as Easley, Anderson, and Pendleton. These towns offer a slower pace of life while still being an easy drive away from Greenville favorites. Another perk is that homes in these areas often offer more room to grow—like in Mungo's Timberland Grove community, which offers ½ acre lots and three-car garage options.

With expansive green spaces, strong school options, and a lower-than-average cost of living, Greenville is an ideal location to raise a family. Interested in making Greenville your family’s hometown? Browse Greenville homes on our website today. If you’re looking to broaden your search, Mungo Homes has 26 communities across the South Carolina Upstate, making it easy to find the right fit for your family.