Pros and Cons of Living in Greenville SC

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Pros

Downtown

Greenville’s Downtown is best known for its lively area that offers an excellent blend of dining, shopping, and entertainment options for all ages. The local government has been investing to revitalize this area, and the result has been a beautiful district that residents love to spend time in. The local planners made sure to develop a lively place with mixed-use buildings containing residential and commercial spaces.

Outdoors

Greenville is also surrounded by large expanses of nature, with a variety of nature preserves, lakes, and rivers just a short drive from downtown. On top of that, Greenville is just a couple of hours away from the famous Blue Ridge Mountains, giving nature lovers a variety of places to explore the outdoors. It’s in the name of the city. The numerous parks and outdoor spaces around the city truly make Greenville green.

Growth

Greenville has been able to build a steady economy and keep it growing. The city’s rising professional sector is tied to its ability to create jobs and attract talent. Greenville has several major players from the Fortune 500 list, such as Michelin, 3M, Lockheed Martin, and GE that have either built a corporate office or headquarters in the area. These corporations show how much confidence they have in the economy of Greenville and how the city is a favorite for new business ventures.

Weather

Greenville residents can expect to enjoy warm weather all year round as the area is officially within a subtropical climate. Winters will never fall below freezing, and it gets up to around 55 degrees in the summer. In addition, you also have the chance to experience all four seasons in Greenville. There is a chance of snow during the winter and spring, vibrant foliage during autumn, and you can also expect to experience the hot summer.

Cost

Greenville’s cost of living is quite reasonable for all its excellent amenities and job prospects. The overall cost of living is about 5% lower than the national average. You can make your dollar go a long way here because it’s a strong value compared to other big cities in South Carolina and in the South in general.

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Cons

Housing

The overall cost of living in Greenville remains relatively low, with the average home value in Greenville currently standing at about $230,000. Since last year, the value of an average home has increased approximately 9%, which also represents a 50% increase over the last five years. The Greenville real estate market is projected to continue to be an excellent market through 2021, as low interest rates and a limited supply of homes should both contribute to higher home values.

Crime

Not everything in Greenville is perfect. As the city continues to develop, it has had a troublesome time fully controlling all areas of the city. Currently, the crime rate in Greenville is higher than the national average. But, just like any city, it is not all bad and there are some specific parts of Greenville you should pay attention to. This map can help you locate the safest neighborhoods in Greenville.

The South

Although the subtropical climate of upstate South Carolina can be quite pleasant during the mild winters and even spring and falls, the summers can become excruciatingly hot. It usually starts to reach above 80 degrees starting in May, and it is not unusual to have many days of 90-100 degree weather between June and August. On top of that, it can get extremely humid as well.

Diversity

Greenville, SC continues to grow and improve, but the city remains a little limited in diversity in terms of ethnicity and culture. Do not expect Greenville to be like the streets of New York City, which also means that there are fewer options for authentic ethnic cuisines. Additionally, there is a lot of suburban sprawl outside of downtown, with many similar, cookie-cutter-type subdivisions that some may find a lack in character.

Traffic

Greenville faces a great deal of traffic and congestion that you may not expect for a city of this size. You may experience some significant backups on Woodruff Road, the main thoroughfare in the eastern part of town leading to the main commercial district outside downtown. That is noticeable because that street is lined with all the major big box stores like Walmart, Target, Costco, and other shopping plazas that the whole city heads to on weekends.

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