The Upstate is the region in the westernmost part of South Carolina, United States, also known as the Upcountry, which is the historical term. Although loosely defined among locals, the general definition includes the 10 counties of the commerce-rich I-85 corridor in the northwest corner of South Carolina. This definition coincided with the Greenville–Spartanburg–Anderson, SC combined statistical area, as first defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 2015. In 2023, the OMB issued its most updated definition of the CSA that coincides again with the 10-county region.
The region's population was 1,487,610 as of 2020. Situated between Atlanta and Charlotte, the Upstate is the geographical center of the Charlanta megaregion. After BMW's initial investment, foreign companies, including others from Germany, have a substantial presence in the Upstate; several large corporations have established regional, national, or continental headquarters in the area. Greenville is the largest city in the region with a population of 72,227 and an urban-area population of 387,271, and it is the base of most commercial activity. Spartanburg and Anderson are next in population.
Counties
Ten counties are included in the Upstate of South Carolina: Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Pickens, Oconee, Greenwood, Laurens, Cherokee, Union, Abbeville.
Metropolitan, micropolitan, and combined statistical areas
As of 2023, the Greenville–Spartanburg–Anderson CSA includes all ten counties in the Upstate. Within the CSA are a total of two metropolitan statistical areas and three micropolitan statistical areas.
As of the 2020 Census, the Greenville–Spartanburg–Anderson CSA had a population of 1,511,105.
Communities
The following population rankings are based on the 2010 Census.
Primary cities
Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Greer, Mauldin, and Greenwood,
The OMB labels all these cities as principal cities in their respective MSAs and μSA.
Other communities with more than 20,000 residents
Cities: Easley, Simpsonville
CDPs: Taylors, Wade Hampton
Communities with more than 10,000 residents
Cities: Clemson, Gaffney, and Fountain Inn, South Carolina.
Gaffney is a principal city in its μSA. If students from Clemson University are included, Clemson has close to 30,000 residents.
CDP's: Berea, Five Forks, Gantt, Parker, Boiling Springs
Communities with fewer than 10,000 residents
Communities in the Upstate with under 10,000 residents include:
Cities:
Towns:
Seneca is a principal city in its μSA. According to the 2010 Census, no town in the Upstate has a population greater than 6000.
CDPs:
Institutions of higher education
The following table shows the major institutions of higher education in the Upstate.
In 2008, U.S. News ranked Furman as the 37th-best liberal arts college, Wofford College as the 59th-best, and Presbyterian College as the 101st-best. Also, they ranked Clemson University as the 67th-best national university. According to the Bob Jones University, its Museum and Gallery constitutes the largest collection of religious art in the Western Hemisphere.
Economy
The majority of business and commerce in the Upstate takes place in Greenville County. Greenville has the largest concentration of businesses and financial institutions in its downtown area. In fact, the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson MSA was ranked seventh in the nation by site consultants considering the top markets for economic development. Many financial institutions have regional offices located in downtown Greenville. These include Bank of America and the now-defunct Wachovia. Other major industries of commerce in the Upstate include the auto industry, which is concentrated mainly along the corridor between Greenville and Spartanburg around the BMW manufacturing facility in Greer.