Not ideal for raising a family. - 3/19/2023

My wife and I were prospecting Greenville, looking for work and a place to raise our son and grow our family. There's nothing inherently wrong with Greenville. The people are very kind and if you're looking for work; they've got it. However, there were a numbers of pros and cons about the city and outlying areas. Pros - 1. Plenty of work. 2. Wonderful weather most of the year. 3. Resources/amenities are in abundance. 4. Clemson is a short drive and has a beautiful campus. Cons - 1. Salaries here are roughly 10-15% less than in the Midwest. While prices (especially on groceries) are 10-20% more. 2. There is no land available; at least not 1-4 acres for home plots. The ones that do exist are either heavily forested OR they are cleared and very expensive. In many places the land will be worth almost the value of the house if you can get some. 3. The driving is poor at best. Everyone is in a hurry and everybody is up your rear - all day - every day. 4. The city sprawl and opportunities have already brought in a lot of riff-raff from Atlanta and Columbia. There are numerous groups of young men that roam around all areas of the city (mainly the business districts and Haywood) looking for amusement. Most of them are not from Clemson. They cause a lot of problems with disturbances and assaults. 5. The worst aspect I must say, is the number of people living in the 25 mile radius of Greenville is insane. Roads are packed and trying to maneuver around town always seems to be a struggle. Overall, the city and suburbs (like much of the east coast) are packed in like sardines. You can't drive down the state routes to Easly, Lyman, or Traveler's Rest without a car line up your rear and traffic ahead of you. It's a nice place to stay for a few days and they quite a few unique and excellent restaurants. However, if you're looking to raise children here. Understand that they will be playing on a 0.1 acre lot in a densely packed city sprawl.

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KEEP SC RED PLEASE - 1/31/2022

Thinking of moving there from Fl. The country and the mountains are the only place to be. Country southerners are God's people. I just hope all the liberal devils get out of my way as they have destroyed our great nation and they better know we ain't going down. Well, me and my guns are probably heading your way. Looks like a great place to retire. Looking forward to meeting the real folks there.

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An Opinion About This 2 Star Rating Average - 1/17/2022

I have been reading all the negative reviews on Greenville on this site because, as a SC native, I was curious as to why it only had a 2 star average rating from over 90 reviews given the fact that I know different. However, it didn't take me long to realize upon reading them that the overwhelming majority of the reviews come from people who moved here and not from here. Their contempt and utter disgust for people who don't think like them is laughable. The number of posts that view people of faith as "cultist" or somehow delusional is especially disturbing (and I say that as someone who doesn't attend any church, though I probably should). My questions to you who bash us southerners as ignorant are 1) What brought you here? You consistently claim that you are better educated than southerners so why is it you didn't use that intellectual prowess to research an area before you moved here? 2) If in fact you all are not as smart as you claim and didn't research the area, then what keeps you here after you found out that the place you fled from was so much better? You are free and welcome to live anywhere you please. You are also free to express your opinion on where you chose to live. But please try to give your "expert" geographical analysis in a less hypocritical, condescending, and "holier than thou" tone. If you can't do that then your argument has no weight or significance to anyone other than those who are in your groupthink bubble of reality. On the upside, I guess your slanted reviews may keep others in your bubble from following you down here. Anyway, welcome to the South!

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Balanced review of Greenville, SC - 7/11/2021

I moved here in 2019 from the northeast. There are a lot of positives about living in the city of Greenville and there are negatives as well. Overall, I am mostly satisfied living here and hope my review will help others who are researching the best places to live. First the positives. The City of Greenville has one of the nicest downtown areas that I have seen/experienced. The Falls Park on the Reedy is a beautiful place to walk, bike or just relax. It was very well planned out to be a part of the downtown area as well as linking Traveler's Rest and other areas (more extensions are planned). There are a ton of restaurants with a wide variety of food choices. There are lots of free outdoor events like festivals and concerts. There is an active, great arts scene. The weather is so much better than the northeast. Traffic is reasonable (the locals think it's terrible but apparently they've never seen Atlanta, NYC or Boston traffic). Real estate is much cheaper here. Overall the cost of living is less. There are a lot of people relocating here so if you want to make new friends (now that we are past the worst of COVID), it's possible to do so but you do have to make the effort. (Join Meetup groups, bookclubs, join a gym and talk to people, wave and say hello to your neighbors, join a church or clubs). I bought a house here in a mixed neighborhood and absolutely love it. I know my neighbors and everyone waves/says hello when you walk down the street or around the neighborhood. People are much friendlier in that regard than they are up north. I'm sure every neighborhood isn't like mine (the high-priced, snobby areas where everyone is locked inside their houses afraid of everyone) so be choosy about where you want to settle down. And you have to make the effort as well to say "hello" and get to know people. Now for the negatives. I am a moderate/independent (don't belong to any political party and have voted for both Democrats and Republicans in the past but this current Republican/Trump-worshipping regime gives me nothing to be voting Republic for), so I knew I would not be comfortable with the current political climate here. While you will find more Democrats or moderates here than in the outskirts of the city, it is still very much "T-rump country". This is heavy Bible-belt and gun-toting country. (Personally I'm perplexed as to how one can be "Pro-Life and Pro-Gun" at the same time but we'll leave that discussion for another forum.). The education system is appalling except for perhaps a handful of schools or private ones. (I don't have children of school age but if I did, I would not have moved here.). Many people home-school their children who really shouldn't. Their level of education leaves much to be desired and the school system doesn't seem to take much interest in ensuring that home-schooled children are actually learning anything). There are daily news reports of people being shot/murdered, (not in the downtown area but in the outskirts). The most egregious was hearing about a 2 year old who had picked up a gun that was left lying around in the house and shot himself dead. Was ruled an accident and no further action was taken against the parents for being negligent, etc.. (WTH???). The roads are not maintained nor are they wide enough so there are many more fatal accidents here than in the northeast. I was really shocked by this when I first moved here but have become somewhat adjusted to it (I guess). I try not to drive too much or at night out on those "country" roads. The bugs here are ridiculously large and of varieties I'd not seen in the northeast. Lots of spiders and poisonous ones as well (Black Widow spiders). Regular treatments outside and around the house by an exterminator are mandatory here.) Lots of snakes here also, some poisonous. But there are many beneficial snakes as well, so you have to learn to differentiate. Fireworks are legal here and every ya-hoo around seems to be shooting them off all year long for no particular reason. July 4th and New Years are fine and to be expected, but Memorial Day? Every single Friday night? Random Tuesdays or Wednesdays? Enough already. There is an international airport (GSP) nearby but the number of places with direct flights to/from is quite limited compared to what I was used to in the northeast. COVID has limited my travels this past year and a half so it's not been a major issue, but it does mean that when friends/family will be visiting that they mostly will not be able to get a direct flight here. Same for going other places (obviously). Lastly, medical care here is just okay. I was used to the best-of-the-best up north so am a bit spoiled. Luckily I am quite healthy but if something major were to happen, I'd be going back north for treatment. You just won't find many doctors down here who graduated from the top medical schools. I think that about sums it up. Hope this helps someone decide whether Greenville, SC is for them.

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The Best Place to live in South Carolina - 2/28/2020

I've lived in Greenville, SC for over 36 years relocating from the low country in 1983. Over the years there has been much change. More positive than negative. U.S. News analyzed 125 metro areas in the United States to find the best places to live based on quality of life and the job market in each metro area, as well as the value of living there and people's desire to live there. Greenville ranked: #22 in Best Places to Live #26 in Best Places to Retire Greenville encompasses big-city amenities without attracting the same unpleasantries that come with a more populated, urban metro area. The city has rapidly become known nationwide for it's culinary experiences and a rapidly emerging art scene. The city is truly walkable with it's crown jewel, Falls Park on the Reedy winding through the city. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains the seasons are distinct providing beautiful fall foliage and green tree lined city streets in the Spring and Summer.

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Would love to live there. - 2/24/2020

It's one of my favorite niche cities. Love it's location. Furman's campus is stunning. Love the scenery there. Love Paris Mountain. Would love to live there. It's a version of Asheville or vice versa. ~ Darrell Juvay Finch

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I like it - 1/23/2020

I moved here in 1994 from Barre Vermont and i love it. The mountains are about 45 minutes North West. The beach is a good 5 hour drive away. There are a lot of parks and hiking. Downtown always has free activities. There are smaller towns within Greenville too. They always movies outside or little fairs and festivals. Coffee shops and ice cream palors. The city area is more welcoming to mixed race couples then most anywhere in the state but its not really anyone here but White people, Black people and South America people. Not diverse in cultures other than that as far as i know. Maybe Greeks too Greenville does like its Churches. Lots of Jesus here but thats great because we are Christians. We prefer to go to a Mega Church so no one is ever in our business much. Its large and i doubt anyone but God knows we are there. Ive always liked the schools. We have a 22 year old, 21 and 10. Great options like magnet schools so you can pretty much pick your kids school even if your not in that school zone We live in Piedmont which is hopegully the next small town to be revamped. The planning phase is long. In the mean time its a little junkie but our huge house was 60k and our neighbors are great.

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Pretty on the outside, rotten on the inside. - 8/6/2019

If you're an introvert with no intention to make relationships during your stay 5/5 If you're of church going stock and the resolve to deal with every day drama 5/5 If you're someone with an open mind and looking for a forever home to drop some roots and make friends. . . No, just find someplace better. 1/5 I first moved here in 2008 as a high school student. Being a military brat I have met all shades of people from all walks of life. This has always been the most hostile environment I have ever lived. The only time people are genuine is when they're driving (which I wont even get into, it's just beyond frustrating). The folks that I have found to be true and kind around here are the people that aren't native to the area. To be fair some natives are perfectly considerate, at least the middle class folk are. If you're ever unfortunate enough to brush shoulder with the true high class blue bloods of the Upstate you'll know it. This place is festering with entitlement and God mongering. If my parents hadn't settle here and the alternative wasnt moving back to Louisiana I wouldn't be here. So I live on the outskirts as far as I can. When my daughter turns 18 I'll be long gone from this two-faced place.

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Moving here was the best decision we ever made. - 6/7/2019

I couldn't disagree more with all these negative comments. My wife and I moved down here from Ohio 9 years ago. We now have 2 small children and we love Greenville! The climate is so much better than the north, the winters are very mild, very little snow and you'll get nice days in the 60's in january. The heat is a little intense in the summer, but very tolerable compared to 6 months of winter in Ohio. Downtown Greenville is beautiful, safe, and bustling with things to do. I got a good paying job that didn't exist in recession riddled Ohio. We are grateful for the nice life we have here. The culture here is a bit different than up north but i haven't experienced anything that some of these negative posters are speaking of. In my opinion there are jerks everywhere and I would advise you to stop seeing racism/bigotry in every negative interaction you have. The very definition of bigotry is not liking someone because they are different than you. Just because someone goes to church or voted for Trump doesn't mean they are bigoted or stupid. Just because somebody makes a snide comment doesn't mean they are racist and even if they are it doesn't mean the entire local population is racist! You are the ones being bigoted when you pre-judge somebody by their religion or who they voted for! And I say this as someone who is not religious and didn't vote for Trump.

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Not worth the struggle to live here. - 5/6/2019

Not worth the struggle to live here. I lived here for 15 years. No shortage of jobs, but companies treat employees like total garbage. Everyone I worked with said that’s just how it is here. One job was ok until they got bought out and ran off half the workers. I worked in HVAC, and my wife worked in food service while going to college to get her medical degree. Education was so bad my wife switched to a college in another state to finish her degree. Very unfriendly people. If you don't go to the same church as they do, or are not religious, they will put you down. Saw that happen at a couple different jobs to people I worked with that always worked hard, showed up on time, and did a good job. What gives them the right to judge people? They should read the Bible a little closer and stop being a bunch of lying hypocrites. The people are nice to your face, but give them the chance they will stab you in the back. Not everyone is bad. There is a small group of very nice people, if you can find them. It’s a shame because Greenville has the best weather on the East Coast and is close to the mountains.

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Stay Away - 2/6/2019

I live here. It's full of hateful, bigoted, superstitious (by that I mean "God-fearing'), ignorant Trumpanzees. I boycott the nearest convenience store because the clerk said she loves Trump. Only come here if you want to drown in a morass of white privilege and ignorance. Otherwise, STAY AWAY

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Not good at all - 2/1/2019

The job economy here is not good at all. I moved here 8 years ago and have applied to numerous jobs. All I have ever been able to get were minimum wage retail jobs. I have a degree and experience. So that is why I think it is time to relocate. Also the weather is disgusting and this whole state is full of disgusting bugs.

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CITY INHABITED WITH HORRIBLE POPULOUS - 5/4/2018

The small city of GVL is nice but not the majority of popolous that inhabit it. Coming to a company to direct and teach to progressively, deomcratically, ecologically, humanity forward (non-racist issues, gender, preference of sex in love and identiy, etc...) Well, basically waste of the copmany's time and why the states were never great. The arrogance, low self esteemed egostric (God-complex) of men/women in still not being interacial bc their background of slavery. That should basically, be a huge detterent in not expecting anything progressive with the poplous born and raised, and joined by like minded. They all remind me of the sick white people that was brillantly dictated and shown in the movie "GET OUT". They act like they are better then anyone in every regard and still judge you for knowing they are the real devil's and it's their hell. Want to play in their playground? NEVER AGAIN!

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AMAZING City - 2/12/2018

I moved to Greenville, SC from Chicago about 12 years ago. I have had the good fortune of living across the US from AZ, to MO, MT, IL, NC and now SC. I can honestly say, the physical climate, and the business climate, are amazing. The mountains are beautiful. The people, the culture, the education, the food, and the art could not be better. This city has truly blown me away.

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Beautiful city, nice climate, people are cold - 11/14/2017

If you are not Southern, not a Baptist, believe in evolution and carbon dating this may not be the place for you. People here insist that the earth is 5,000 years old, evolution is a lie, etc. I had no idea that people still believed these things until I came here. I travel to Asheville every chance I get, people seem nicer and more intelligent on average. The weather is usually really nice. I lived in Miami most of my life, also New York and London. Therefore, the humidity doesn't bother me because I've seen worse. Neighbors don't tend to befriend neighbors here. This place is a magnet for religious zealots, and trust me, religion doesn't make people nicer, it makes them judgmental and critical. They tend to run with the folks in their churches, where they all feel they are chosen by God for something special. Religion is like a drug here, and they criticize other religions. I feel more like a foreigner here than I did living in England for 3 years. Having said that, the cost of living is really low, I have a huge home on almost 8 acres, taxes are low and I paid under 500k for my house. I've lived here 10 years and don't even have to pick up the phone to say goodbye to anyone. If you have family and friends to spend time with, this may be a great place. I talked some people into moving here and they both went back to Florida in less than 1 year. People in Florida don't have time for gossip or being critical of neighbors. But for the short time I had my Miami friends here, I truly had a lot of fun enjoying the downtown and hiking on Paris Mountain. If you can make friends, you may like it. First place I've ever lived without friends. Rent first, sure wish I had. Was originally going to Asheville. came here due to cost of living so low. It cost me 10 years of my life. We are moving to Asheville now, finally convinced my husband. He got a job, so I'm as good as gone!

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This city is a nightmare with a makeover - 10/11/2017

I must say. This city is the biggest, in the small state of SC. It has had an upgrade or makeover to fool you, asthetically. Just like the fake majority of people that occupy it. It is the center of the Bible Belt...in regards to the cult of Southern Baptist religion. Bob Jones University for starters. Bob Jones the 3 was caught quoting in the past few years. "Gays should be stoned to death." The state ranks in lowest in education for starters. Amongst other horror statics it excels in the lowest. However, highest in double the nation to women dying to men. The small town mindset of people is a horror movie like, Deliverance. They stare and gossip with an old school slave mentality. They are big believers in their, ignorance and generational abuses passed down. The area people raved about was as if it were...Naperville, IL or Beverly Hills. The Augusta Road area...Which, is extremly disturbing. The schools like Furman. Graduates act like they attended an Ivy Leage.It's cheap to live there.Exactly, what your getting in qulaity of life. The racism, relgion, republican majority based, delusional thinking, extremly not cultured, or intelligent minded. Will make you feel in slaved to the day's of the witch trails, slave days, or delusional ego's as Hitler's. They have companies that chose the city. Due to cheap and avilable land. Also, convient in transporting and low overture cost. The only thing that kepy my sanity for the 4 months. Was the city of Asheville, NC. My friends and family kept assiting to visit me. However, I did not want them exposed to the majority of people living in it. My sister, brother and best friends made a suprise visit. It took them an hour by walking in the downtown to see the horror show. Everything that is wrong with our current state of America is made of this population. There are a few people I mean't that had to move back due to family, etc...That shared my common insight and had to deal with it for way longer. Also, other's new to the city as myself. We all had the same ultimate fix for it. To make the best of it by going to Atlanta, Asheville, and Nashville on the weekends. Kept us sane and then moved asap. Never, will I go back or recommend this city to anyone. Not even my worst enemy. For those friends I made that had to come back. They have the same plan and to find a resolution for taking care of family members. By moving them as well.

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More things they don't tell you... - 3/5/2017

As the other post mentioned, there's a lot they don't tell you about Greenville and the surrounding area. Yes, it's racist, but the discrimination goes both ways-- white on black and vice versa. It's also home to a medical system cesspool. Both the GHS and St. Francis systems enter your personal medical data on a computer program called MyChart. Once input, your data is accessible by virtually anyone in any medical office. The fun begins when incompetent medical practitioners enter inaccurate info about you. Sometimes the notes are downright libelous. And, you have no choice about your info being on MyChart for anyone in any medical office to see. They don't even have the courtesy to ask your permission. If you must see a medical specialist, see one in the St. Francis system. Or, you can also find one in a group called Brio, which doesn't use MyChart. Better yet, get your medical care in Asheville, NC, where the medical personnel are a lot more competent.

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Things they don't tell you - 2/19/2017

The Greenville area hosts some of the most corrupt individuals in city governments. Take the former mayor Eichor of Simpsonville who was convicted of obstruction of justice and tampering with an investigation. The city still doesn't have a real police chief after playing fast and loose with the rules over letting their last chief go. Then there's the chief of police in Mauldin, who the papers reported beat his girlfriend repeatedly and relied on Mauldin officers to cover him until he was finally forced to take accountability for his actions and was arrested. It didn't take long after I moved here to hear multiple people tell me don't drive through Mauldin if at all possible, the police are corrupt and traffic court judges support bogus charges. What I found most distasteful was the blatant racism here. I was asked by a few of the "good ol' boys" I worked with if I roast cats for Thanksgiving, while my boyfriend's co-worker calls Asians "won tons". Sadly, they don't tell you about the violent crimes and daily murders here either. It doesn't surprise me to see a large number of transplants leaving here in record numbers, me included.

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Great place to live on the East Coast. - 11/25/2015

Excellent place to live. A lot of culture; something to do all of the time. Good restaurants and the climate is excellent. I can't think of a better place to be!

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Terrible Traffic, Gets Old Fast - 8/22/2015

I've lived in several areas of the south. Greenville, SC has been the most claustrophobic. Small main part of town. Accidents everyday on the two major interstates 385 & 85 within a 12 mile span, avoid if you can. Everyone drives with their cellphones in plain sight, in spite of the no text law. Corporate workplaces full of married people looking for adulterous relationships(the women are worse than the men it's shocking). Downtown is nice but gets old fast. Like any other small town full of fast food chains and an ok mall. Outskirts full of lots of unemployed meth addicts, very sketchy & desperate. The young people seem really bored and actually look out of place. It's a weird small town trying to be a city. I met so many people leaving in my first year here. Jobs are scarce so just be mindful unless you like plants.

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