Greenville–Spartanburg Metropolitan Area | |
|---|---|
| Greenville–Spartanburg–Anderson, SC Combined Statistical Area | |
 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  South Carolina |
| Principal cities | - Greenville - Spartanburg - Anderson - Mauldin - Easley - Clemson - Gaffney - Greer - Greenwood - Seneca |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6,168 sq mi (15,980 km2) |
| • Land | 6,008 sq mi (15,560 km2) |
| • Water | 141 sq mi (370 km2) 2.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • CSA | 1,487,610[1] (39th) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 864 and 821 |
The Upstate, historically known as the Upcountry,[2] is a region of the U.S. state of South Carolina, comprising the northwesternmost area of the state. 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.[3]
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; it has 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.
- ^ "Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals: 2020-2022". Retrieved July 14, 2023.
- ^ Hollis, Daniel Walker, University of South Carolina, Volume I, South Carolina College, 1951. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, p. 342
- ^ "OMB Bulletin No. 23-01, Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). United States Office of Management and Budget. July 21, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.