Everyone Is LEAVING Greenville, SC (And Where They’re Moving Instead)

More buyers are choosing the suburbs instead of living in the city of Greenville itself, and it's not because they're giving up on Greenville. The average sales price in the city of Greenville over the last 90 days is just under $600,000. In some cases you'll pay more than $500 or $600 per square foot to live that downtown lifestyle. With mortgage rates still around the mid-to-high 6% range, buyers want to be sure they're getting enough house for that money. Moving just 15, 20, or 25 minutes outside the city can get you more for your budget while keeping you close to Greenville. Before you decide, compare Greer, Simpsonville, Travelers Rest, Fountain Inn, and Woodruff side by side and see what your budget gets you in each one.

Here's the whole breakdown of where people are moving instead of the city of Greenville, why they're choosing these areas, and the trade-offs to know before you decide:

Greenville has grown fast and has become one of the most popular places to move in South Carolina. The Upstate region officially crossed one million residents this year. More people moving here means more people trying to buy close to downtown Greenville.

There's only so much room inside the city. The average sales price in the city of Greenville over the last 90 days is just under $600,000, and in some cases you'll be paying more than $500 or $600 per square foot to live that downtown lifestyle. So even with a pretty healthy budget, you may end up with less house or a smaller lot than you expected.

The closer you get to downtown, the more condos and townhomes you'll find. You'll also find what you'd expect: older, smaller homes built in the first half of the 20th century that have been renovated over time.

If you're moving to Greenville hoping for a bigger home, a yard for the kids, or just a little more room between you and your neighbor, you may start wondering how much that downtown location is worth to you.

There are still only so many homes to choose from inside the city. Across Greenville County, though, buyers have more options this year, and a good portion of them are outside the city limits. Go about 15 or 20 minutes outside of downtown and you open up a lot more options without moving that far away.

The difference in what your money can buy can be pretty significant. You don't have to give up space to stay close to downtown. That same budget gets you a larger home and a bigger yard in the surrounding suburbs, or even in Greenville proper outside the downtown core. You also start finding established neighborhoods with community pools, larger parks, and more space for families and retirees alike to spread out.

With mortgage rates still around the mid-to-high 6% range, buyers are watching their monthly payment pretty closely. If you're already paying more because of the rate, you want to make sure you're getting enough house for that money.

Yes. Living in the suburbs doesn't mean you have to give up Greenville. You can still work in the city, head downtown for dinner, visit Falls Park, or catch a show at the Peace Center whenever you want. You're still close to all of it. You just don't have to pay the higher price to live right in the middle of downtown.

That's why buyers are starting to look outside the city. Some places give you more house and a bigger yard. Others may work better for your commute, your schools, or the kind of lifestyle you want. Sometimes moving just 15, 20, or 25 minutes outside the city can get you more for your budget while keeping you close to Greenville. That's a pretty good trade for many people.

Greer is one of the best places to look if your job and commute are a big part of where you decide to live. It sits between Greenville and Spartanburg, right along I-85 or Wade Hampton Blvd, so you can get to either city pretty easily. If two people in the same house work in opposite directions, one toward Greenville and the other toward Spartanburg, Greer can be a pretty convenient middle ground.

Greer has been growing quite a bit lately. Last year the population got to around 50,000 residents, and all the jobs nearby are a big reason people keep moving here.

BMW is a huge part of that. They've been building cars here since the mid-90s, and their plant near Greer is the largest plant in the world by production volume. BMW's investment in South Carolina is now getting close to $12 billion. A plant that size supports other companies and jobs around it too, so even if you don't work directly for BMW, there are businesses across the area connected to what they've built here over the last few decades.

Then there's Inland Port Greer, which moves freight by rail and recently expanded its rail shipping capacity. That gives logistics companies more room to operate and grow nearby. GSP International Airport is also just minutes away, so manufacturing, logistics, and aviation jobs are all concentrated around this part of the Upstate. For someone relocating here for work, having this many major employers nearby can be a pretty big advantage.

People aren't choosing Greer only because it's close to work, though. Downtown Greer, or Greer Station, has changed quite a bit over the last several years, and the city has done a nice job bringing new life back into that area. You've got brick streets, local coffee shops and breweries, and small businesses you can walk between. There's even an old bank building from the 1880s that's now a coffee shop, and they kept the original vault inside, which is pretty cool. Greer is one of the prettiest downtowns you'll find in the Upstate, and it gives you places to eat, grab coffee, and spend some time without heading into Greenville.

What do homes in Greer cost?

• Avg. price $432,000, up 3% from $421,000 over the same period last year. That shows continued demand and desirability for the greater Greer area.

Head farther north toward Lake Robinson and the homes start to spread out. You'll find bigger lots, a more rural setting, and some homes closer to the water. Prices can start in the low to mid $400s, but lakefront and larger properties can go much higher. One example is our listing at 528 Coolwater Drive on the shores of Lake Robinson, priced in the mid $600s with mountain and lake views in the gated community of Stillwater at Lake Robinson.

Greer has higher-end options in other parts of the city too. Some of the most desirable luxury communities in the area are right here in Greer, like Thornblade, where you get larger homes built around a private golf and country club.

Keep in mind what all those nearby jobs can mean if you eventually sell your home. Schools on this side of town are in demand too. Wade Hampton, Riverside, Eastside, and Blue Ridge are among the more desired schools in our area. Put together a highly desired job market, the school system, the drive to downtown Greenville, and an easy commute to GSP, and it's no wonder the hyper-local real estate market here is doing well and will likely continue to do so.

For families who want a more traditional suburban lifestyle, Simpsonville gets a lot of attention. It's one of the fastest-growing communities south of Greenville, with around 29,000 residents and a good mix of established neighborhoods and newer communities.

Getting into Greenville is pretty easy because you're right along I-385. For day-to-day errands, you've got grocery stores, restaurants, and most of the major retailers along several well-known corridors.

Why do families look at Five Forks?

One of the best-known areas for families here is Five Forks. It's technically unincorporated, so depending on where you live you could have a Simpsonville, Greenville, or Greer address. Schools are a big reason families keep looking here. Monarch Elementary ranks second in Greenville County. Bells Crossing, Oakview, and Rudolph Gordon (close to Five Forks and Simpsonville but technically in Fountain Inn) are all highly desirable. If schools are high on your list, there's a good chance Five Forks will come up while you're looking. That's true for many of our younger clients, and schools should still matter to older clients too.

More people are choosing to live here, and Five Forks continues to see steady home sales activity throughout the year. Over the last 90 days compared with the same period last year:

• Avg. price $575,000, up 4% from $552,000
• Median price $465,000, up 1% from $460,000

The average and median are so different because this area has a higher concentration of higher-priced communities than arguably any other part of the area, except downtown and maybe the east side of town. If your budget is somewhere between $450,000 and $900,000, Five Forks is a sure-shot market to consider.

You don't have to be in Five Forks to find good options in Simpsonville, though. Throughout Simpsonville, on both sides of I-385, you'll find desirable communities where we have many past clients who love living there.

There's a good mix of homes, too. Some neighborhoods have been around for 20, 30, even 40 years, so you get old trees, bigger yards, and more of that classic neighborhood look. There are also newer subdivisions if you'd rather have a newer home in more of a master-planned neighborhood setup.

What's the trade-off in Simpsonville?

The main downside you'll hear about is traffic. Woodruff Road, Fairview Road, Standing Springs Road, Fork Shoals Road, and others can get pretty backed up during rush hour. That's because those roads are also where so much of the shopping is, and they feed many of the communities.

Having all of that nearby is convenient, though. You can get most of your shopping and errands done close to home, which helps when you're going between school, appointments, and everything else in your week.

When you want to get outside, Lake Conestee Nature Park has around 400 acres with trails and wildlife areas. You can catch concerts at the CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park. Downtown Simpsonville gives you another place to grab dinner or spend an evening without driving into Greenville. In my opinion, Simpsonville is the most comprehensive suburb in Greenville. If that traditional suburban setup is what you're looking for, it should definitely be on your list.

Some people move to the Upstate looking for something very different, especially when mountains, trails, and outdoor access are high on their list. Travelers Rest is where you get that mountain town lifestyle while still being about 15 minutes from Greenville. Depending on traffic and where you're starting, the drive to downtown Greenville can run closer to 20 to 25 minutes.

Locals call it TR, and it sits right at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's still a small town, with about 9,000 residents last year, but it's growing pretty fast. A big reason is everything you can do outside.

The Swamp Rabbit Trail is probably the biggest draw. It's a paved greenway that runs roughly 20 miles from Travelers Rest down into Greenville and beyond. You can walk it, run it, ride your bike, or bring a stroller, and some people use it to get around without the car. We mostly use it to walk from Unity Park to the Swamp Rabbit Cafe for a sandwich and an iced coffee.

Paris Mountain State Park is close by for hiking and mountain views. Table Rock, Caesars Head, Devils Fork, and everything else to explore in the Blue Ridge Mountains is an easy drive too.

That's why TR gets attention from people who want a small town that isn't far from Greenville and has easy access to the mountains. If you're used to hiking, biking, and having the mountains close by, you can keep that here. Time after time, the road cyclists we work with choose Travelers Rest because it's convenient to Paris Mountain, Marietta, and northern Taylors, where you'll see many groups riding during the week and on weekends.

Furman University is nearby too. With the campus and the lake there, it brings some college town energy to the area. There are newer developments, but they tend to be smaller rather than big master-planned communities with clubhouses and resort-style pools.

What do homes in Travelers Rest cost?

Over the last 90 days compared with the same period last year:

• Avg. price $505,000, down 3% from $521,000, which we were surprised to see, to be honest
• Median price $479,000, up 0.21% from $478,000

The steady median tells me the market here is steadier than I thought from the average sales price alone. I don't think the desirability of Travelers Rest has changed at all. Keep in mind that around 600 homes trade here every year, compared to a place like Simpsonville, where well over 2,000 homes trade every year.

Downtown Travelers Rest has been growing too. You've got local shops and farm-to-table restaurants, and it still has the smaller downtown people are looking for when they choose to live here instead of closer to Greenville.

If getting more home for your money is higher on your list, a couple of areas farther south are getting more attention as the Upstate keeps growing. Fountain Inn and Woodruff are two of them, and they're at pretty different points in their growth.

What is Fountain Inn like?

Fountain Inn sits just south of Simpsonville along I-385, so the drive back toward Greenville is still pretty easy. Last year it had around 15,000 residents, and it's been one of the faster-growing areas in Greenville County.

Fountain Inn already has its own small downtown. Main Street has older brick storefronts and local businesses, and the town traces back to its days as a stagecoach stop between Greenville and Laurens. Some of our clients prefer downtown Fountain Inn over any other suburb's downtown, and for good reason. This town is focused on the right kind of growth, and it shows.

They've brought new life into some of those older places. An old flour mill was turned into a brewery and food hall, and there's even an outdoor movie screen. You've also got Rotary Park, a splash pad for the kids, and a local farmers market.

Over the last 90 days, the avg. price of a home in Fountain Inn is $361,000, up 3% from $350,000 in the same period last year. Over the last 12 months, prices here have kept growing.

What is happening in Woodruff?

Woodruff is a little farther east, in southern Spartanburg County, and the growth there has been pretty wild. The city grew by around 17% in a single year, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in South Carolina.

BMW is a big part of the growth around Woodruff. They're putting about $700 million into a new battery plant nearby, which is expected to bring more than 300 jobs to the area. That's part of why more housing is planned: around 4,000 new homes over the next few years.

For now, you can still buy at a lower price here than in the other areas covered above. Home values are around the low to mid $300s. If you want more square footage for your money, Woodruff gives you options that are getting harder to find closer to Greenville.

What's the trade-off in Woodruff?

You're buying into an area that's still developing. You don't get the same amount of shopping and neighborhood amenities as Simpsonville, or the same school options as Five Forks. You have to decide how important those things are compared to getting more house at a lower price.

We've already seen how BMW can help an area grow over time. There's no guarantee Woodruff follows the same path, but with this kind of investment coming in, it's easy to understand why more people are choosing to move here.

Why are buyers choosing the suburbs instead of the city of Greenville?

It's not because they're giving up on Greenville. The average sales price in the city over the last 90 days is just under $600,000, and in some cases you'll pay more than $500 or $600 per square foot. Going 15, 20, or 25 minutes out can get you a larger home and a bigger yard for that same budget while keeping you close to the city.

Can I still work and spend time in Greenville if I live in a suburb?

Yes. You can still work in the city, head downtown for dinner, visit Falls Park, or catch a show at the Peace Center whenever you want. You just don't pay the higher price to live right in the middle of downtown.

Which suburb works best for commuting?

Greer is one of the best places to look if your job and commute are a big factor. It sits between Greenville and Spartanburg along I-85 or Wade Hampton Blvd. It's close to BMW, Inland Port Greer, and GSP International Airport, and it can be a convenient middle ground for households working in opposite directions.

Where should I look if schools are a top priority?

Five Forks is likely to come up. Monarch Elementary ranks second in Greenville County, and Bells Crossing, Oakview, and Rudolph Gordon are all highly desirable. In Greer, Wade Hampton, Riverside, Eastside, and Blue Ridge are among the more desired schools in our area.

What's the biggest downside of living in Simpsonville?

Traffic. Woodruff Road, Fairview Road, Standing Springs Road, Fork Shoals Road, and others can get pretty backed up during rush hour because that's where so much of the shopping is. The upside is that you can get most of your errands done close to home.

Where can I get the most house for my money near Greenville?

In Woodruff, home values are around the low to mid $300s, lower than the other areas covered here. In Fountain Inn, the avg. price over the last 90 days is $361,000. Woodruff is still developing, so you trade some shopping, amenities, and school options for a lower price.

How far is Travelers Rest from Greenville?

About 15 minutes from Greenville under normal traffic. Depending on traffic and where you're starting, the drive to downtown Greenville can run closer to 20 to 25 minutes. TR also sits at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with the Swamp Rabbit Trail and Paris Mountain State Park close by.

More people are looking outside Greenville when they move to the Upstate. You don't have to be right in the city to get the lifestyle you came here for. It comes down to finding the area that works best for you and your family.

If any of these suburbs caught your attention and you're thinking about making a move, send us an email at [email protected], or call or text at (864) 688-9738. My team and I have helped hundreds of families with their real estate transactions, and we can help you compare your options and see what your budget gets you in each area.

As always, I'm Will Sawyer, your friend in real estate. Until next time, stay safe.