2/2/2010

Date Formed:

1785

Land Area (square miles):

811

County Seat:

Spartanburg

Other Cities and Towns:

Campobello, Central Pacolet, Chesnee, Cowpens, Duncan, Greer, Inman, Landrum, Lyman, Pacolet, Pacolet Mills, Wellford, Woodruff

Form of Government:

Council-Administrator

Council Members:

Method of Election

Single Member/ Chair at Large

Term Length

4 years

Council of Government:

Appalachian

County History

Spartanburg County and its county seat were named for the Spartan Regiment, a local militia unit that fought in the Revolutionary War. The county was formed in 1785 as a part of Ninety Six District, and from 1791 to 1799 it was part of Pinckney District. A part of Spartanburg County later went to form Cherokee County in 1897. European settlers, primarily Scotch-Irish, began moving into this area from Pennsylvania and Virginia in the late eighteenth century. For many years the primary occupations were small scale cattle raising and cotton farming. Areas with mineral springs, such as Glenn Springs, were also popular summer resorts for lowcountry residents. Following the Civil War, textile manufacturing became the dominant industry, and Spartanburg County remains an important manufacturing center today. Some well known Spartanburg residents are hymn writer and publisher William Walker (1809-1875), U.S. Army General William C. Westmoreland, and industrialist Roger Milliken.

Population Trends

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Population 1980:

201,861

Numeric Change 1980-2000:

51,930

Population 1990:

226,800

Numeric Change 2000-2008:

26,947

Population 2000:

253,791

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 1980-2000:

1.28%

Population Estimate 2007:

275,285

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate 2000-2008:

1.33%

Population Estimate 2008:

280,738

Percent Change 2006-2008:

1.94%

Persons Per Square Mile 2008:

346.2

Economic Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Jobs 1980:

94,962

Personal Income (PI) 2007:

$7,975,394

Jobs 1990:

115,226

Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2007:

7.5%

Jobs 2000:

131,795

Per Capita Personal Income 2007:

$28,971

Jobs 2006:

127,831

% of U.S. PCPI 2007:

75%

Jobs 2007:

130,551

Average Wage Per Job 2007:

$37,930

Numeric Change Jobs 2006-2007:

2,720

% of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2007:

86%

Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 1980-2000

1.94%

Unemployment Rate 2007:

6.9%

Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs 2000-2007

-0.13%

Avg. Unemployment 1998-2007:

5.1%

Tax Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Assessed Property 2007:

$961,061,229

Per Capita Assessed Property 2007:

$3,787

County Base Millage Rate 2009:

0.0779

Additional Sales Tax (if applicable)

Value of One Mil 2009:

$987,663

Local Option Sales Tax:

Millage Cap FY10:

5.8%

Capital Projects Sales Tax:

Net Taxable Sales FY07:

$2,832,841,569

School District Sales Tax:

Admissions Tax Collected FY07:

$708,654

Transportation Sales Tax:

Accommodations Tax Collected FY07

$711,203

Financial & Employment Data

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Total Revenues FY08:

$156,029,863

Per Capita Revenues FY08:

$615

Total Expenditures FY08:

$158,232,628

Per Capita Expenditures FY08:

$623

General Fund Budget FY10:

$85,313,000

Per Capita General Fund Budget FY10:

$336

Total Debt Outstanding FY08:

$29,996,848

Per Capita Debt Outstanding FY08:

$109

Payroll FY 2008:

$49,366,374

Credit Rating(s) FY08

Full-Time Employees FY10:

1,254

Moody's:

Aa2

Part-Time Employees FY10:

194

Standard & Poor:

Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty Residents:

4.94

Fitch:

updated

2/2/2010