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REGIONAL FACT SHEETS

A diverse range of companies seeking a competitive advantage have found a business-friendly trifecta in Upstate South Carolina: a top-ranked business climate, a world-class research environment and a superb quality of life.

They are drawn here by our favorable tax rates, market accessibility and the quality and availability of our workforce. Supporting this is our dedication to research and innovation, including R&D facilities for Michelin, Fuji and General Electric and research centers that support the automotive, life sciences, plastics and photonics industries. And it’s all set in a region where cost of living is about 10 percent lower than the national average and cultural and recreational opportunities cater to a diverse range of tastes.

Learn more about each of the dynamic counties and cities that support economic growth in the Upstate by downloading their individualized fact sheets.

Current Population

Total Population (2018)1,482,416
Total Households (2018)576,869
Median Age (2018)39.7
Sources: ESRI Business Analyst

Age % of Population

Under Age 55.9%
Age 5 to 96.2%
Age 10 to 146.2%
Age 15 to 2413.0%
Age 25 to 3412.8%
Age 35 to 4412.2%
Age 45 to 5413.1%
Age 55 to 6413.4%
Age 65 to 7410.3%
Age 75 to 844.9%
Age 85+1.9%
Source: 2018 Projections by ESRI Business Analyst

Income

YearMedian HouseholdPer Capita
2018$48,817$26,714
2023 (projected)$54,509$30,457
Source: ESRI Business Analyst

Workforce Education

Highest Level Attained% Pop, Age 25+
Less than 9th Grade5.1%
9th to 12th Grade, No Diploma9.7%
High School Grad / GED28.8%
Some College, No Degree20.5%
Associates Degree Only9.8%
Bachelor’s Degree Only16.7%
Graduate/Professional Degree9.4%
High School Grad or Higher85.2%
Bachelors Degree or Higher26.1%
Source: 2018 Projections by ESRI Business Analyst

Top Manufacturing Employers

CompanyIndustryEmployment
BMW Manufacturing Co., LLCAutomobile Manufacturing11,000
Michelin North America, Inc.HQ; R&D; Tire Manufacturing8,162
Milliken & CompanyHQ; Textile Mfg & Research5,570
GE Power & WaterGas Turbines3,400
ZF Transmissions, LLCAutomotive parts2,700
Electrolux Home Products, Inc.Refrigerators1,950
Sealed Air Corp – CryovacFlexible plastic products1,700
Bosch Rexroth CorporationFluid power pumps and motors1,480
Timken U.S. CorporationAutomotive parts1,430
Nestle USAFrozen prepared foods1,400
Drive Automotive Ind. of America, Inc.Automotive parts1,353
Robert Bosch CorporationAutomotive components1,200
FujifilmGraphic system products1,170
Draexlmaier Automotive of AmericaWire harnesses1,075
Sources: Manufacturers News, Inc. (2018 data); and individual employers

Upstate Labor Force & Unemployment (Apr 2019)

Total Labor Force698,998
Unemployed19,102
Unemployment Rate2.7%
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics; SC Dept. of Employment & Workforce

Employment & Earnings by Industry

IndustryJobs% of TotalAvg Earnings per Job
Total (All Industries)701,433100%$52,359
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting1,5970.2%$31,894
Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas Extraction4290.1%$79,917
Utilities2,8050.4%$131,466
Construction34,7615.0%$59,618
Manufacturing113,21616.1%$71,545
Wholesale Trade25,7203.7%$70,990
Retail Trade74,76110.7%$32,265
Transportation & Warehousing23,8723.4%$54,332
Information8,6751.2%$72,389
Finance & Insurance19,3042.8%$77,726
Real Estate & Rental & Leasing9,0081.3%$47,497
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services30,5914.4%$73,721
Management of Companies & Enterprises7,3911.1%$107,486
Admin., Support, Waste Mgmt & Remediation Services62,5428.9%$35,684
Educational Services (Private)16,3162.3%$35,889
Healthcare & Social Assistance61,0138.7%$58,452
Arts, Entertainment & Recreation9,5391.4%$19,366
Accommodation & Food Services59,6188.5%$18,955
Other Services (Except Public Admin)33,9974.8%$25,218
Government106,27215.2%$60,209
Source: EMSI Q1 2019 Data Set