Date Formed:

1786

Land Area (square miles):

790

County Seat:

Greenville

Other Cities and Towns:

Fountain Inn, Greer, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Travelers Rest

Form of Government:

Council-Administrator

Council Members:

Method of Election

Single Member

Term Length

4 years

Council of Government:

Appalachian

County History

The origins of the name Greenville County are uncertain, but the county was probably named for Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene (1742-1786) or for an early resident, Isaac Green. This part of the state was the territory of the Cherokee Indians until 1777. Scotch-Irish and English settlers began moving into the area soon after it was ceded to the state. Greenville District was created in 1786, but from 1791 to 1800 it was part of the larger Washington District. The county seat was originally named Pleasantburg, but in 1831 the name was changed to Greenville. Because of its location in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville County became a popular summer retreat for lowcountry planters. Encouraged by abundant streams and rivers, textile manufacturers began operating in the area as early as the 1820s, and after the Civil War Greenville County became a textile center. Diplomat and U.S. Congressman Waddy Thompson (1798-1868) was a resident of Greenville, and in more recent years the county has produced baseball player "Shoeless Joe" Jackson (1887-1951), Nobel Prize winner Charles Townes, and civil rights leader Jesse Jackson.

Population Trends

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Population 1980:

287,913

Numeric Change 1980-2000:

91,703

Population 1990:

320,167

Numeric Change 2000-2007:

48,627

Population 2000:

379,616

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:

1.59%

Population Estimate 2006:

416,509

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2007:

1.83%

Population Estimate 2007:

428,243

Percent Change 2006-2007:

2.74%

Persons Per Square Mile 2007:

542.1

Economic Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Jobs 1980:

154,502

Personal Income (PI) 2006:

$13,936,265

Jobs 1990:

205,495

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2006:

8.2%

Jobs 2000:

258,326

Per Capita Personal Income 2006:

$33,460

Jobs 2005:

251,198

% of U.S. PCPI 2006:

91%

Jobs 2006:

257,184

Average Wage Per Job 2006:

$36,857

Numeric Change Jobs 2005-2006:

5,986

% of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2006:

88%

Avg. Annual Growth Rate 1980-2000:

3.36%

Unemployment Rate 2007:

4.9%

Avg. Annual Growth Rate 2000-2006:

0.39%

Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:

4.3%

Tax Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Assessed Property 2005:

$1,677,533,021

Per Capita Assessed Property 2005:

$4,419

County Base Millage Rate 2007:

0.061

Additional Sales Tax (if applicable)

Value of One Mil 2007:

$1,520,222

Local Option Sales Tax:

Millage Cap FY09:

5.7%

Capital Projects Sales Tax:

Net Taxable Sales FY06:

$6,693,712,331

School District Sales Tax:

Admissions Tax Collected FY06:

$2,117,381

Transportation Sales Tax:

Accommodations Tax Collected FY06:

$2,065,271

Financial & Employment Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Total Revenues FY06:

$124,132,638

Per Capita Revenues:

$327

Total Expenditures FY06:

$174,366,923

Per Capita Expenditures:

$459

General Fund Budget FY08:

$120,232,737

Per Capita General Fund Budget:

$317

Total Debt Outstanding FY07:

$83,880,000

Per Capita Debt Outstanding:

$201

Payroll FY 2008:

$72,676,691

Credit Rating(s) FY07

Full-Time Employees FY08:

1,741

Moody's:

Aaa

Part-Time Employees FY08

256

Standard & Poor:

Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:

4.59

Fitch: