Greenville Economy

Located along I-85 midway between Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina, Greenville is in the northwestern region of South Carolina known as Upstate. Over the past several decades, the city has drawn both residents and international companies in search of lower costs and business opportunities a short drive from larger cities. Greenville offers the appeal of a big city with small-town hospitality.

A former “Textile Capital of the World”, Greenville’s economy has revolutionized. In the last few decades, the city set about recruiting international companies and rebuilding the downtown area that made small businesses return. Favorable wages and tax benefits have lured international companies to invest heavily in the greater Greenville area. The recent years saw larger companies joining Michelin SA and BMW AG in the area. Greenville is the North American headquarters for Michelin, Synnex, United Community Bank, AVX Corporation, NCEES, Ameco, Southern Tide, Confluence Outdoor, Concentrix, JTEKT, Cleva North America, and more.

Greenville’s industrial base includes automotive manufacturing, financial services, health services, telecommunications, utility provider, engineering and construction services, technology solutions, gas turbine, aviation and wind energy manufacturing.

What are the major industries in Greenville, SC

Greenville has grown into a large and diverse metropolitan area and one of the southeast region’s premier areas for business. Over the past thirty-five years, Greenville has transformed itself from a textile town to a destination for a diverse industry base that includes corporate office, manufacturing, and warehousing/distribution operations. 

According to Greenville Area Development Corporation, the top employers in the city are:

COMPANY	NO. OF EMPLOYEES
Prisma Health	10,000+
Greenville County Schools	10,000+
Michelin North America	5,001 – 10,000
Bon Secours St. Francis Health System	2,501 – 5,000
Duke Energy Corp.	2,501 – 5,000
Greenville County Government	2,501 – 5,000
State of South Carolina	2,501 – 5,000
GE Power	1,001 – 2,500
Fluor Corporation	1,001 – 2,500
SYNNEX Corporation	1,001 – 2,500
TD Bank	1,001 – 2,500
Verizon Wireless	1,001 – 2,500
Sealed Air Corp. – Cryovac Division	1,001 – 2,500
USC School of Medicine, Greenville	1,001 – 2,500
Magna	1,001 – 2,500
Windstream	501 – 1,000
City of Greenville	501 – 1,000
Furman University	501 – 1,000
Bosch Rexroth Corporation	501 – 1,000
Greenville Technical College	501 – 1,000

Cost of Living in Greenville, SC

Greenville, SC area cost of living is generally lower than the national average. The table below shows the cost of living in Greenville compared to other similar sized cities. An index score of below 100 indicates the community is less expensive than the average of all cities throughout the U.S., while a score over 100 means the community is more expensive than the average.

YEAR	GREENVILLE, SC	ATLANTA, GA	CHARLESTON, SC	ASHEVILLE, NC	CHARLOTTE, NC
2020	92.2	101.1	99.8	105.7	92.0
2019	95.4	102.4	96.9	100.5	97.9
2018	95.6	101.8	100.7	97.4	97.0
2017	94.7	99.0	104.0	97.0	96.2

Housing Affordability in Greenville, SC

Career Opportunities in Greenville, SC

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