Workforce

The total civilian labor force within a 30-mile radius of Greer is 443,219 (ESRI Business Analyst Online, August 2015). It is 245,326 within a 15-mile radius (id.). This represents all non-military employed and unemployed (actively seeking jobs) workers residing in the area.

This table summarizes the demographic characteristics of the working-age population in the community.

	15 Mile Radius	30 Mile Radius
Total Population (2015)
	539,981	1,001,788
2015 Population by Age
15-24	13.1%	12.8%
25-34	13.4%	12.6%
35-44	13.1%	12.8%
45-54	13.7%	13.9%
55-64	12.4%	13.1%
18 +	76.6%	77.2%
2015 Population by Sex
Males	262,110	488,423
Females	277,873	513,365
2015 Population 25+ by Educational Attainment
High School Graduate	21.4%	22.8%
GED/ Alternative Credential	4.4%	5.1%
Some College, No Degree	20.4%	20.9%
Associate Degree	8.9%	9.6%
Bachelor’s Degree	20.5%	17.5%
Graduate/ Professional Degree	11.6%	9.9%

City of Greer

2015 Civilian Population 16+ in Labor Force
Civilian Employed 93.3%
Civilian Unemployed 6.7%

2015 Employed Population 16+ by Industry
Total 12,485
Agriculture/Mining 0.7%
Construction 8.8%
Manufacturing 20.0%
Wholesale Trade 3.3%
Retail Trade 13.0%
Transportation/Utilities 3.1%
Information 1.4%
Finance/Insurance/Real Estate 4.6%
Services 43.2%
Public Administration 2.0%
2015 Employed Population 16+ by Occupation
Total 12,484
White Collar 56.9%
Management/Business/Financial 12.6%
Professional 19.4%
Sales 11.7%
Administrative Support 13.2%
Services 17.8%
Blue Collar 25.3%
Farming/Forestry/Fishing 0.3%
Construction/Extraction 7.4%
Installation/Maintenance/Repair 2.3%
Production 9.2%
Transportation/Material Moving 6.1%

(ESRI, Business Analyst Online, Market Profile, City of Greer, August 2015)

Greer Trade Area

2015 Civilian Population 16+ in Labor Force
Civilian Employed 92.9%
Civilian Unemployed 7.1%

2015 Employed Population 16+ by Industry
Total 269,727
Agriculture/Mining 0.4%
Construction 6.3%
Manufacturing 18.0%
Wholesale Trade 3.2%
Retail Trade 11.6%
Transportation/Utilities 3.8%
Information 1.9%
Finance/Insurance/Real Estate 5.0%
Services 47.3%
Public Administration 2.4%
2015 Employed Population 16+ by Occupation
Total 269,727
White Collar 59.5%
Management/Business/Financial 13.4%
Professional 21.1%
Sales 11.9%
Administrative Support 13.2%
Services 17.6%
Blue Collar 22.9%
Farming/Forestry/Fishing 0.1%
Construction/Extraction 5.1%
Installation/Maintenance/Repair 3.1%
Production 8.6%
Transportation/Material Moving 5.9%

(ESRI Business Analyst Online, Market Profile, 111 Trade Street, 30 minute drive time, August 2015)

The following represents the number of jobs and wages (2014-2015) in the two county Greenville-Spartanburg County Region (EMSI, Occupation Table, Greenville and Spartanburg Counties, Q2 2015).

Greer has made significant improvements in the educational attainment of its population. In 1990, the percentage of the population over 25 years of age with a high school degree was 47.6 percent. In 2010, the percentage of Greer city residents over 18 years of age with a high school degree was 81.4 percent. Although these numbers are below the state and national levels, Greer is continuing to take proactive steps with local school districts and the business community to see more of the population completing the necessary level of education for the future.

South Carolina’s award-winning technical education system works in partnership with local industries to ensure the availability of a ready, well-training workforce. Customized training programs are provided through ReadySC. The local Workforce Investment Board “One Stop” program also provides a constant supply of trained workers for new and existing businesses.

The following data is from 2010 U.S. Census.

Educational Attainment of Persons 25 Years Old & Older, 2010

	No Diploma	H.S. Diploma or Alternative Credit	Some College, No Degree	Assoc. Degree	Bachelor’s Degree	Master’s Degree	Doctorate
City of Greer	3,129	4,893	3,118	1,642	2,724	1,070	103
Greenville County	44,445	78,550	22,130	25,455	58,891	22,934	3,368
Spartanburg County	33,181	56,974	38,171	20,053	26,471	8,072	1,760

Occupations of People Working in Greenville and Spartanburg Counties (16+)

Manufacturing	57,123
Construction	22,355
Wholesale Trade	13,690
Retail Trade	37,232
Transportation/Warehousing/Utilities	12,464
Finance/Insurance/Real Estate	16,392
Educational Services/Health Care and Social Assitance	66,878
Arts/Enterntainment and Recreation/Accomodation and Food Services	34,645
Sales/Office Occupations	16,878
Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing and Hunting/Mining	1,884

South Carolina consistently ranks as one of the least unionized in the nation. We are a right-to-work state, which prohibits the existence of closed union shops, maintenance of membership clauses, preferential hiring and any other stipulations mandating union membership. This enhances the ability of all employers to operate non-union facilities.

Greer is home to several of the nation’s leading labor law firms and a united community effort is made to minimize the need for unions. This includes emphasis on good management practices, employee participation, quality circles, and an emphasis on human resource programs.