Lookout Mountain, TN vs Folly Beach, SC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Folly Beach, SC has a modeled overall cost index 7.3% lower than Lookout Mountain, TN.

Lookout Mountain, TN · modeled 2BR rent
$1,900 / month
Folly Beach, SC · modeled 2BR rent
$2,530 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Lookout Mountain, TN and Folly Beach, SC using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $544/month in Folly Beach, SC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $143,470 in Folly Beach, SC

Regional cost estimates: Lookout Mountain, TN uses Atlanta, GA. Folly Beach, SC uses Fayetteville, NC. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↓ 7.3%
Less expensive
Monthly Impact
$544
Savings
Annual Impact
$6.5K
Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Lookout Mountain, TN

Population:2K
Cost Index:
80.9
100 = national average
Typical Home:$986K

Folly Beach, SC

Population:2K
Cost Index:
75.0
100 = national average
Typical Home:$1.06M

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Lookout Mountain, TN

The Volunteer State

2K
Population
State Tax
No Income Tax

Located in Tennessee, this city has a population of 2K residents.

💡 Advantage: Tennessee has no state income tax!

Folly Beach, SC

The Palmetto State

2K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in South Carolina, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Lookout Mountain, TN vs Folly Beach, SC

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Housing
↓ 10.1%
Lookout Mountain, TN
$2,167
Folly Beach, SC
$1,947
Difference
$219
less
Other
↓ 10.8%
Lookout Mountain, TN
$1,766
Folly Beach, SC
$1,574
Difference
$192
less
Transportation
↓ 11.3%
Lookout Mountain, TN
$1,328
Folly Beach, SC
$1,178
Difference
$151
less
All Utilities
↓ 8.2%
Lookout Mountain, TN
$614
Folly Beach, SC
$563
Difference
$50.63
less
Healthcare
↑ 5.5%
Lookout Mountain, TN
$618
Folly Beach, SC
$652
Difference
$34.12
more
Groceries
↑ 3.3%
Lookout Mountain, TN
$1,007
Folly Beach, SC
$1,041
Difference
$33.69
more

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$1,660
To$2,200
↑ $540
1 Bed
From$1,730
To$2,310
↑ $580
2 Bed
From$1,900
To$2,530
↑ $630
3 Bed
From$2,370
To$3,150
↑ $780
Lookout Mountain, TNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,730–$1,730/mo

Folly Beach, SCZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,310–$2,310/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500
Monthly in Lookout Mountain, TN
$6,956
Monthly in Folly Beach, SC
$544
Difference

Home Values

Lookout Mountain
Folly Beach
$986K
Median Value
$1.06M
↑ +3.3%
YoY Change
↓ -4.5%
↑ +64.2%
5-Year Change
↑ +60.8%

Homes in Folly Beach are 8% more expensive than Lookout Mountain

Calculate payment - Lookout MountainCalculate payment - Folly Beach

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↓ $10.0K
More taxes
Monthly Difference
$830
Less take-home
Effective Rate Diff
6.6%
Rate difference

Lookout Mountain, TN

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Tennessee State Tax
No state income tax
$0
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 24.7%
$37.0K
Take-Home Pay
$9,416/month
$113.0K

Folly Beach, SC

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
South Carolina State Tax
Effective: 6.6%
$10.0K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 31.3%
$47.0K
Take-Home Pay
$8,586/month
$103.0K

Additional Tax Information

Lookout Mountain, TN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.5%
Property Tax:0.7%

Folly Beach, SC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%
Property Tax:0.6%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Lookout Mountain
Folly Beach
50 Good
Air Quality
46 Good
50.8%
Good Air Days
63.7%
96 High
Climate Risk
89 Moderate
🌊🌪💨
Top Hazards
🌀🌪
▲+2.7°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.5°F
28 days
Heat Days >95°F
36 days
▲+2.7°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.5°F
28 days
Heat Days >95°F
36 days

Before moving from Lookout Mountain, TN to Folly Beach, SC

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Folly Beach, SC for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Lookout Mountain, TN. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
  3. Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Lookout Mountain to Folly Beach moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Folly Beach, SC by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Lookout Mountain, TN vs Folly Beach, SC

How do the cost estimates for Lookout Mountain, TN and Folly Beach, SC compare?

Folly Beach, SC has a modeled overall cost index 7.3% lower than Lookout Mountain, TN. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Lookout Mountain, TN, the model estimates $143,470 in Folly Beach, SC. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Lookout Mountain, TN and Folly Beach, SC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,900/month in Lookout Mountain, TN and $2,530/month in Folly Beach, SC. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Tennessee and South Carolina on TaxTakeHome.com

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