Falls Park on the Reedy kickstarting downtown Greenville
Running right through downtown Greenville, the Reedy River once powered the rows of textile mills at the heart of the local economy. By the mid-20th century, many of the mills had closed, population was in decline, and Greenville attempted to modernize its infrastructure. In the process, Greenville built over some of what made it unique. Constructed in 1960, the Camperdown Bridge put four lanes of traffic atop the river falls, obscuring the natural landmark. Forty years later, Greenville decided to reembrace the waterfall as a centerpiece of the city, dismantling the Camperdown Bridge and replacing it with a suspension bridge for pedestrians. Completed in 2004, the park — now known as Falls Park on the Reedy — helped spur downtown investment, kickstarting a period of growth that continues today. Plus, as downtown welcomed a lively mix of restaurants, businesses and apartments, many of the suburban neighborhoods grew as well. Traffic increased and housing costs crept up, but new residents continue moving to Greenville for its vibrant food scene, strong school system and natural beauty in Upstate South Carolina.
The Liberty Bridge is a major attraction at Falls Reedy Park in Greenville.
There are many pedestrian and bike friendly roadways all throughout Greenville, SC.
People enjoy dining at various restaurants in downtown Greenville.
Gather GVL in Greenville is a communal eating spot with live performances.
1/4
The Swamp Rabbit Trail connects Greenville's parks
In the 20 years since the city opened Falls Park on the Reedy, Greenville has put considerable resources toward its parks system. “Our three largest parks, which are Unity Park, Falls Park and Cleveland Park, are built along the river, and we refer to them as the ‘Green Necklace,’” says Dorothy Dowe, an at-large representative on the Greenville City Council. “But it was a vision from decades and decades ago." The crown jewel of the green necklace is Falls Park, the smallest of the three major parks. Cleveland Park, which opened in 1922, houses the Greenville Zoo, tennis and volleyball courts, a fitness trail and playgrounds. Unity Park opened 100 years later, and the Swamp Rabbit Trail — a 28-mile paved path along an abandoned rail bed — connects them all.
Basketball fans from Greenville can gather and play at Unity Park.
Greenville has trails that connect Unity Park, Cleveland Park, and Falls Reedy Park.
The 23-mile Swamp Rabbit Trail is the longest walking and biking trail in Greenville.
Cleveland Park features unique dog sculptures in Greenville, SC.
1/4
Downtown Greenville's revival led by restaurants like Soby's
Tall elm and oak trees flank Main Street, giving the downtown roadway a green canopy and adding to the city’s verdant, vibrant feel. But the area wasn’t always busy and energetic. Like many downtowns, Greenville saw a downturn in the late 20th century. However, the strip began to come back around the turn of the millennium, as restaurants such as Soby’s moved into industrial chic spaces on Main Street. “It’s pretty high-energy,” says Gina Boulware, the director of marketing and public relations for Table 301, a restaurant group that manages Soby’s and other spots in town. “This is not the place it was when I started working here. I didn’t have to wait to turn out of the parking lot. Now I have to wait.” Today, Soby’s is still one of Greenville’s most popular restaurants. Development has continued to push south of the Reedy River, where Jianna serves modern Italian fare and the Gather GVL food hall offers a bevy of options inside steel shipping containers. Restaurants and breweries have also begun popping up around the Swamp Rabbit Trail, including The Commons’ collection of eateries near Unity Park. Further from downtown, Greenville shows its more suburban side, with shopping centers like Magnolia Park and Haywood Mall.
Greenville residents can go get some retail therapy at the Haywood Mall.
Soby’s is still one of Greenville’s most popular restaurants.
There are many great Breweries around Greenville, like Yee-Haw.
The Commons features great shopping and dining options in Greenville.
1/4
Greenville's strong housing market in a growing city
Greenville has grown since 2000, with the city population increasing from roughly 56,000 to north of 70,000 in 2024. The growth translated into higher prices in the city compared to many of its suburbs. “The market’s still strong,” says Mary Beth Shealy, a Realtor and broker with the Mary Beth Shealy Group of Keller Williams Western Upstate. “You’ve got a lot of people that want to be downtown. They don’t want yards. They want to be able to get out and walk to things. But the outlying areas are just as strong. We’re growing in all directions.” Condos, apartments and townhomes sit around Main Street, while older brick cottages and ranch homes cluster with newer infilled farmhouses in the neighborhoods near downtown. The median price is $348,900. Prices can run between $700,000 and $2.5 million toward Greenville Country Club for colonial-style and French Country homes. Meanwhile, smaller bungalows go from the low $200,000s to the upper $300,000s.
Condos and townhomes are a popular housing choice in downtown Greenville.
Large colonial homes can be found in nicer subdivisions in Greenville.
Ranch homes are popular in the outskirts of Greenville, SC.
Many Greenville streets have a mix of bungalow and craftsman style homes.
1/4
High marks for Greenville County Schools
The Greenville County School District serves the city of Greenville. Niche gives the district an A grade while ranking it one of the Top 10 in South Carolina. The district offers a school choice program, the largest in the state, with over 10,000 students choosing from 11 magnet academies across elementary, middle and high school. The city is also home to highly rated private schools, including A-plus-rated Christ Church Episcopal School and A-rated Saint Joseph’s Catholic School. After high school, students can attend Greenville colleges including Bob Jones University or Furman University. Clemson University, the second-largest university in the state, is 30 miles to the southwest.
Concerts and comedy at the Peace Center
The Peace Center features three different venues, including a concert hall that hosts Broadway musicals and comedy shows. Sports are big in town, too. In West Downtown, Fluor Field hosts the High-A Greenville Drive baseball team, an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The ballpark even has its own Green Monster to resemble Fenway's defining feature. On the north end of downtown, Bon Secours Wellness Arena is the home of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, an ECHL hockey team associated with the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL. The arena also hosts various concerts throughout the year. Greenville often shuts off streets for events downtown, including Saturday mornings in the warmer months for the TD Saturday Market on Main Street, where more than 75 vendors sell fresh produce, baked goods, flowers and more.
Downtown Greenville hosts the Saturday Market by TD Bank from May to October.
The Peace Center is the best place to see live performances in Greenville, SC.
The Bon Secours Wellness Arena is the home of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team.
The Fluor Field is a great place to catch a baseball game on Friday in Greenville, SC.
1/4
Improving transportation infrastructure around Greenville
While its lively downtown scene has driven some of Greenville’s growth, it was made possible by the influx of employers to Upstate South Carolina. BMW, TD Bank and Michelin are among the corporations with a strong presence in Greenville. The increasing population has had a positive impact, even as it strains the city infrastructure. “Traffic is the biggest thorn in the side with growth," Dowe says. "So we’ve got a lot of things working to address that traffic.” Dowe points to projects increasing bikeability throughout the city, expanding sidewalk access and allowing commuters to utilize the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Greenville operates the Greenlink bus system, which runs between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. during the week and has limited weekend hours. For air travel, the small Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is a little over 10 miles away.
The Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is a major hub in Greenville.
Greenville residents wanting to get to other places can depart on the Green-link city bus.
Michelin has a strong corporate presence in Greenville.
BMW is one of the largest employers in Greenville, SC.
1/4
Greenville's climate and crime
Greenville’s mild climate is a strong selling point. “We have the people coming from up north. They want to move south, but they don’t want to move as far as Florida,” Shealy says. “This is a good in-between. We’ve got three-and-a-half seasons, maybe. So we’re not hot all the time, we’re not freezing cold, we don’t have ice storms or anything like that. So I think climate is drawing people here.” Though rare, hurricanes and tropical storms can affect the city, often bringing heavy rain and gusty winds. Generally, the city has lower crime than the state average and in line with the national average. In December 2023, the last month data was available from the FBI, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office reported a rate of 112 violent offenses per 100,000 people, compared to the national average of 121 and the state average of 134. That same month, the department reported a rate of 143 property crimes per 100,000 people compared to a national rate of 179 and a state average of 172.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
