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Welcome MESSAGE FROM MRS. CHRISTINE TEDESCO
CHAIRWOMAN
O
conee County has, once again, experienced a record breaking year in economic growth. While this success is often largely attributed to its geographical location, the county’s location along the interstate 85 corridor and proximity to Atlanta, Georgia, are only part of what make Oconee County the location of choice for business relocations and expansions. The golden key to successful economic growth is the economic climate within a community and Oconee County has fostered an environment that says, we want your business. As a result, Oconee County has established itself as the geography of opportunity, the place where businesses want to do business. We are proud to have welcomed so many new vibrant, diverse, and poised for success businesses to our community. To our existing businesses thank you for making Oconee County home. Since 2012, Oconee County has won 38 projects resulting in $501.38 million dollars of capital investment and 1,591 new jobs. More people are working than ever before in the history of our county, with our unemployment rate even reaching a 20 year low. It’s worth noting that 59 percent of the last six years’ capital investment came from expansions. Needless to say, the businesses that are here are thriving and want to remain in Oconee County. We appreciate every project we win but these expansions really make us proud. While our county has grown exponentially over the past six years, there is still work to be done. In order to see continued success, we need to truly understand where we have been, where we are, and where we want to go. In order to do this, we have compiled this trends report, which will serve as a snapshot of where the county stands regarding demographics, cost of living, economy and business, transportation, real estate and education. The Oconee Economic Alliance hopes to inform the community, and those that wish to join it, of the state of the local economy. Through the core values of the Oconee Economic Alliance: Diversify our Economy, Develop Competitive Assets, Nurture Strategic Partnerships, and Tell our Story to New and Existing Audiences, we are certain to see continued growth for years to come. The Oconee Economic Alliance is behind Oconee County’s efforts devoted to improving the quality of life for the county’s citizens and building a robust and healthy economy that is diversified and sustainable.
2 // Oconee Trends Report
TABLE OF
CONTENTS Demographics.................................................4 Population Info................................................6 Cost of Living...................................................7 Economy and Business...................................8 Agriculture And Tourism..................................10 Transportation.................................................12 Residential Real Estate....................................13 Education........................................................14 Signature Accomplishments............................15
Oconee Trends Report // 3
Demographics POPULATION PROJECTION 2018 – 2023 – 2018
TOTAL POPULATION CHANGE
77,725 80,384
-1.1%
– 2023
+12.8%
-1.4%
Percent Change 2018-2023 21,455
+3.3% Percent Change 2018-2023
Percent Change 2018-2023 21,493 21,197
21,222
20,615
+4.2%
17,971
Percent Change 2018-2023 12,892
13,461
-0.6% Percent Change 2018-2023 3,914
3,889
AGES
0-4
AGES
AGES
5-19
20-44
AGES
AGES
45-64
65+
Source: Esri Demographic and Income Profile
2018 SNAPSHOT 32,070 Households
2.4
Average Household Size
1,459,766 647,300 Upstate* SC total population
Labor Shed
$63,880 Avg HH Income
45.6
Median Age
50.46% % of population that is female
Source: Esri Community Profile; Emsi Q3 2018 Data Set * Includes Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and Union Counties
4 // Oconee Trends Report
OCONEE COUNTY
1.54%
5.32%
of South Carolina’s total population
Oconee makes up 5.32% of Upstate SC’s
(5,024,369)
total population (1,459,766)*
Source: Upstate Alliance
DEGREE ATTAINMENT
– 2018
82% 84%
Percent of the population has a high school diploma or higher
21% 25%
Percent of the population has a bachelor’s degree or higher
Percent of the population has a graduate degree or higher
– 2016
8% 10%
*Source: Esri Community Profile
Oconee Trends Report // 5
82 1 5 7 +
Population Info 67,621 WHITE
5,674 BLACK
POPULATION
600,000
4,042
MAKEUP
HISPANIC
Source: Esri Community Profile
3,731
500,000
OTHER
700
ASIAN
400,000
POPULATION
GROWTH
PREDICTIONS
2010
2015
2020
300,000
2030
Oconee County’s population is predicted to increase by
200,000
20%
Greenwood
OCONEE
89,100
78,900
76,600
74,273
100,000
Pickens
Anderson
Spartanburg
Greenville
0
*Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 and Census 2010, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control - Vital Records Department. Population projections calculated by the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, Health and Demographics Section
6 // Oconee Trends Report
Cost of Living COST OF LIVING INDEX Q1 2017 - Q1 2018
As part of the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, South Carolina Metro area, Oconee County maintains a low cost of living that falls under the national average. Maintaining a low cost of living is vital to retaining a high quality of life while also serving as an important element when attracting new businesses and residents.
240 Oconee County is included in this MSA U.S. AVG: 100
92.5
94.3
94.7
96.3
99
Tampa, FL
Greenville, SC
Raleigh, NC
Charlotte, NC
Atlanta, GA
100% Composite Index Grocery Items
104.6
123.8
Charleston-N Charleston, SC
Chicago, IL
New York (Manhattan) NY
Housing
Utlities
Transportation
Health Care
Misc. Goods and Services
Greenville, SC
94.3
99.6
77.1
97.0
94.2
106.6
103.9
Charleston-N Charleston, SC
104.6
100.6
96.8
126.7
93.8
105.1
108.8
97.7
106.4
76.5
123.5
91.8
93.9
106.2
Columbia, SC
Note: The U.S. average would be a score of 100. Subsequently, numbers higher than 100 are higher than the national average. Source: C2ER
Oconee Trends Report // 7
Economy and Business REGIONAL JOB
GROWTH
ESTABLISHMENTS BY
EMPLOYMENT
36 0.5 1.5 3 10 20 28 +
BY COUNTY
2010-2018
20.6%
10-19 EMPLOYEES 454 BUSINESSES
27.2%
28.1%
25.9%
5-9 EMPLOYEES 617 BUSINESSES
21.7%
2,199
10.9%
20-49 EMPLOYEES
TOTAL ESTABLISHMENTS IN OCONEE COUNTY
17.3%
239 BUSINESSES
2.4%
50-99 EMPLOYEES 53 BUSINESSES
15.3%
1.5%
12.7%
100-499 EMPLOYEES
0.3%
10.9%
34 BUSINESSES
500+ EMPLOYEES
36.2%
6 BUSINESSES
1-4 EMPLOYEES
4.9%
Laurens
Union
Spartanburg Greenville
Anderson
Cherokee
Oconee
Pickens
796 BUSINESSES
3.6% Greenwood Source: Emsi Q3 2018 Data Set
8 // Oconee Trends Report
OCCUPATION GROWTH 2018-2028 – 2018
– 2028
Percent Growth
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
4%
Production
5%
Office and Administrative Support
4%
Sales and Related
0%
Food Preparation and Serving Related
-1% -10% 10% 4% 9% -3% 9% 21%
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Education, Training, and Library Installation, Maintenance, and repair Architecture and Engineering Transportation and Material Moving Construction and Extraction Management Personal Care and Service Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
12%
Business and Financial Operations
15% 11% 14% -9% 16% 8% 16% -2% 15%
Healthcare Support Protective Services Life, Physical, and Social Science Computer and Mathematical Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Community and Social Service Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Legal
TOP EMPLOYERS as of June 2018
School District of Oconee County..........................1,549* Duke Energy Oconee Nuclear Station................... 1,314* Oconee Memorial Hospital........................................1300* BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems, Inc......................940 Itron, Inc.............................................................................930 JTEKT/Koyo Bearings USA...........................................630 Schneider Electric...........................................................552 U.S. Engine Valve Corp.................................................. 383 BASF...................................................................................360 Greenfield Industries......................................................350 Sandvik...............................................................................315 Johnson Controls, Inc....................................................240 Lift Technologies, Inc.......................................................150 Ulbrich Precision Flat Wire.............................................145 Sealed Air Corporation...................................................132 *non-manufacturing Source: Emsi Q3 2018 Data Set
Oconee Trends Report // 9
Agriculture and Tourism 884
2
Total Farms
USDA Certified Organic Farms
20+
Century Farms (100+ years old)
Economic Impact Vegetables $1.1M
Grain
Corn
$1.6M $6M
Cattle
$15M
Chickens
$110M
Agriculture Ranking in State (by value of sales)
3
Aquaculture 10 // Oconee Trends Report
3
Poultry and Eggs
6
Horses, Ponies, Mules, Burros, and Donkeys
8
Sheep, Goats, Wool, Mohair, and Milk
Cattle and Calves
Oconee County Local ATAX Collections $360,000
$346,555 $313,426
$320,000 $274,920
$280,000 $247,017 $240,000 $200,691 $200,000 $160,000
$166,534 2011-2012
$169,252 2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
2015-2016
2016-2017
2017-2018
State ATAX collections (FY2018 vs FY2017) 1st Quarter
2nd Quarter
3st Quarter
4th Quarter
Year to Date
1%
15%
41%
41%
9%
Up
Up
Up
Down
Down Oconee Trends Report // 11
Transportation OCONEE REGIONAL AIRPORT Flight numbers
Revenue 2015
4,200 4,000
4,066
4,151
2016 3,951
3,925
$819,352 $806,117
2017
$964,285
3,800 3,600 Source: SC Aeronautics Commission
3,700
2012
2013
2014
2015
14,086 VISITORS
2016
COMMUTING PATTERNS PICKENS COUNTY OCONEE COUNTY
Home Counties of Oconee County Workers 58.6%
Work Destinations of Oconee County Residents 47.0%
ANDERSON COUNTY
10.6%
12 // Oconee Trends Report
8.9%
11.1%
8.3% Source: On the Map
Residential Real Estate Annual Residential Building Permits
= 20 building permits
256
2015
372
2016
427
2017
Median Sale Prices
= $10,000
$238,138
$260,941
$273,087
2016
2017
2018 YTD*
Average Days on Market 2017
114
163
112
2016
2017
2018 YTD*
Number of Homes Sold
1,525
1,1O6
SOLD
SOLD
2016
2017 *2018 numbers represent market totals as of September 1, 2018 Source: The Market Edge (www.themarketedge.com)
Oconee Trends Report // 13
Education OCONEE COUNTY
CLASS OF 2018 $27,849,500 Scholarship dollars offered
684
36
Total graduates
84.1%
339
Palmetto Fellows recipients
GRADUATION RATES
65.9% of every tax dollar goes to schools
Life Scholarship recipients
END OF COURSE TESTS
85.0%
81.5%
PERCENT OF TESTS WITH PASSING SCORES Our District
State
Algebra 1/Math for the Technologies 2
78.3
74.7
English 1
79.3
76.8
Biology 1/Applied Biology 2
81.4
73.7
US History and the Constitution
64.7
67.8
AVERAGE ACT SCORE 2017 District
State
17.9
17.7
17
17
Mathematics
17.8
17.8
Reading
18.2
18
Science
18.1
18.1
Composite English
2015
2016
2017
Source: Academic Dashboard: School District of Oconee County
14 // Oconee Trends Report
Signature Accomplishments
Tri-County Technical College – Oconee Campus
The Tri-County Technical College Oconee Workforce Campus opened in August 2018 with nearly 200 enrolled students. The campus, located inside the Oconee Industry and Technology Park, will serve as a pathway for students to enter into manufacturing focused careers. The result, is a unique center for technical education, work-based learning, and economic development unseen anywhere thus far in the southeast. This is an innovative new model which has opened the doors for discussions on partnerships, operational pieces, and pathways that generate great success for students.
Top 10 Economic Development Project in South Carolina
Driving South Carolina’s Silver Shovel is largely the state’s ever-growing automotive sector. With that, an Oconee County automotive expansion project landed among South Carolina’s top 10 economic development projects for 2017. BorgWarner, Inc. ranked as the state’s 9th top economic development project, with an announcement of 160 new jobs and $71.9 million in capital investment.
Destination Oconee
Destination Oconee: Realizing the Future of Oconee County is a tourism based economic development strategy designed to showcase and build upon the natural assets of Oconee County. The goal of Destination Oconee is to drive initiatives that enhance the local economic climate while continuing to make the area one of the leading tourism destinations in South Carolina. In September 2018, the first of 125 way-finding signs was installed to create more visible signage and improve the efficiency of travel throughout our county for both natives and visitors.
NOW
NOW, Nurturing Oconee’s Workforce, is a unique program designed to prepare Oconee students for tomorrow’s jobs. The NOW program was created in partnership with the School District of Oconee County to ensure students enter the workforce ready and marketable to employers. In May 2018, the 18 students of the inaugural class of the NOW program graduated with an employment advantage, including industry exposure, and networking opportunities. Several students graduated with internships, part-time, or full-time employment with Oconee County’s top manufacturing employers including: BorgWarner, ITT, I Tech South, Just Aircraft, Sandvik, Itron, and Koyo Bearings.
Th!nk Oconee
Th!nk Oconee, a marketing campaign created to localize spending and deepen connections within the community has grown into a way of life. With thousands of people sharing the Th!nk Oconee message, it has flourished into the unwritten motto of Oconee County, spreading its wings beyond local spending. Th!nk Oconee launched its new website, thinkoconee.com, where people can connect with local business partners, keep up with community activities, find Th!nk Oconee merchandise, discover Oconee adventure locations, and so much more. The website launch included a two minute video highlighting some of what Oconee has to offer for people of all ages and walks of life when it comes to thinking about home, growth, and adventure.
Momentum Continuing on Recruitment Front 2018 $69.05 million in investment
2012-2018 123 jobs
$501.37 million in capital investment
1,591 jobs
37
projects Oconee Trends Report // 15
Oconee County Statement The Oconee Economic Alliance created this report to inform the community, and those that wish to join it, of the state of the local economy. Oconee County has experienced tremendous success in recent years and this report acts as a snapshot, letting us know where we are and where we can continue to grow and improve in the years to come. The data that was used to create this analysis came from multiple sources and was the most recent available. The Oconee Economic Alliance is behind Oconee County’s efforts devoted to improving the quality of life for the county’s citizens and building a robust and healthy economy that is both diversified and sustainable.
For more information about the Oconee Economic Alliance, please visit www.InvestOconeeSC.com or call 864.638.4210
Advocates for Quality Development Agracel, Inc American Services Inc. AT&T AWHS Architects BB&T Blue Ridge Bank Blue Ridge Electric Co-Op Bob Hill Realty Carlisle Associates City of Seneca City of Walhalla City of Westminster Community First Bank Countybank Davis & Floyd Denham-Blythe Co. Inc. Duke Energy ECS Southeast, LLP Edwards Auto Sales Edwards Construction Services, Inc. Evans General Contractors Field Insurance Agency, Inc. First Citizens Bank Fort Hill Natural Gas Authority
Member List
Friends of Lake Keowee-FOLKS Froehling & Robertson GEL Engineering, LLC Goldie Associates Goodwyn Mills & Cawood Harper Corporation General Contractors Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. Hogan Construction Group Hosford International Inc. Human Technologies J&A International J. Davis Construction JET Commercial, LLC Keowee Key Property Owners’ Association, Inc. LS3P Marlboro Development Team Mashburn Construction MB Kahn Construction MCA Architecture McCrory Construction - Greenville McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture Morgan Insurance Agency - Furman Insurance Nova Engineering & Environmental, LLC Oconee County Oconee Joint Regional Sewer Authority
Oconee Memorial Hospital O’Neal, Inc. Pattillo Construction Corporation Phillips Staffing Print It! Roebuck Buildings RSCT architecture + design S&ME School District of Oconee County Seamon Whiteside & Assoc. South State Bank Stancil, Cooley, Estep, & Stamey, LLP SynTerra Corporation TD Bank Technology Solutions Terracon Consultants, Inc. The Abernathy Thomas & Hutton Engineering Thrift Brothers, Inc. Thrift Development Corp. THS Constructors, Inc. Trehel Corporation Tri-County Technical College Wells Fargo
Designed and published by Visual Infonomics Group, a division of SC Biz News, publishers of GSA Business Report.