Started Mill, 2023
Startex’s story
Startex in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1938 on.
Explore the history →StartexSC
A town of 668.
Population
668
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$146K
+8% in a year
Median age
32.7
years
Jobs based here
187
Balanced
Is Startex a good place to live?
Startex has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
668 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
WellfordDuncanStartex
Nearby attractions
All 38 attractions →Peachoid and 17 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Startex. Close and well known come first.
26 mi LandmarkPeachoid
18 mi Stadium & arenaBon Secours Wellness Arena
36 mi State parkChimney Rock State Park
20 mi National BattlefieldCowpens National Battlefield175K visitors a year
34 mi Park & preserveDuPont State Forest
30 mi National Historic SiteCarl Sandburg Home National Historic Site95K visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Peachoid: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Bon Secours Wellness Arena: Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0 · Chimney Rock State Park: Jmturner, Public domain · Cowpens National Battlefield: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · DuPont State Forest: Ccalvin, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site: Victoria Stauffenberg, Public domain
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Getting set up
Moving to Startex: who provides what
Startex is unincorporated, so Spartanburg County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerDuke Energy13.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSjwd Middle Tyger WTP (Sc4220006) water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSpartanburg CountySpartanburg County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn South Carolina you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSpartanburg Board of Voter RegistrationSpartanburg County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2024
ZIP codes29377, 29334, 2938529377 93% · 29334 4% · 29385 3%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Startex.
Housing
Fewer of Startex’s households own their home than in the typical South Carolina or U.S. town
The typical Startex home is worth about $146,000, up 8% in a year, 52% below the South Carolina typical home.
$146KZillow home value
Typical home value
Startex$146K
South Carolina$304K
+8%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Low risk in Startex, with inland flooding at the top
Startex’s FEMA hazard score comes in at 31 of 100. Nearly three fifths of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 10%. One declared disaster, in 2024, has brought federal aid to Startex households.
31risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesEarthquakes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers: that is Startex’s year
A winter brings about 4 inches of snow, with January nights at 32° and July afternoons at 90°.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter34–54°
Spring49–72°
Summer68–88°
Fall51–73°
Nov 7
typical first frost
Mar 28
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
The average trip to work in Startex is shorter than in most of South Carolina or the rest of the country
Among residents in Startex, 34% live below the poverty line, against 17% in South Carolina’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Employers in Startex added 98 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 187. 1% of Startex working residents work locally. Half the trips to work are shorter than 10 miles.
1%work in town
| Startex | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 34% | 17% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 6.1% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Startex1%
Greenville12%
Spartanburg8%
Greer5%
Duncan3%
10 mi
median commute distance
187
jobs based in Startex
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Startex is
16% of adults in Startex report frequent physical distress; 24% say their health is fair or poor. Among adults locally, 26% have been diagnosed with depression.
| Startex | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 23% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 8.1% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 23% | 19% |
32 measures vs. South Carolina
0 better19 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Startex | SC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 9.5% | 7.5% |
| More smokers | 16.8% | 13.3% |
| More uninsured adults | 14.6% | 11.8% |
Prisma Health Greer Memorial Hospital
7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Startex
15pages on Startex
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Startex
Spartanburg Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Spartanburg6.4 mi$5,071 in-state tuitionSpartanburg Methodist CollegeCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Spartanburg7 mi$20,650 tuitionUniversity of South Carolina-UpstateUniversity or college · Public · Spartanburg8.1 mi$11,588 in-state tuition
About 13 of every 100 Startex residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
About Startex
CDP in South Carolina, United States
Startex is a census-designated place (CDP) in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 859 at the 2010 census. The area was originally known as Tucapau, named after the mill that was built there in 1896. In 1936, Walter Montgomery Sr. bought the mill and changed its name to Startex—the brand name of household textiles produced at the plant. The mill ceased operations in 1998 and was mostly dismantled in 1999.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 814 ft
- ZIP code
- 29377
Questions about Startex
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Startex, SC a good place to live?
Startex has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.