Moving to Anderson, South Carolina means it will be easy to visit either the mountains or the beach within a span of a few hours. The population is only about 26,000, but anyone moving there gets to experience a small town atmosphere with larger cities close at hand. Because Anderson is nestled at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it is not uncommon to be impressed by the picturesque décor that nature offers.
Economy:
Manufacturing is the main industry in Anderson with more than 200 companies, including at least 20 that are international. Automotive suppliers and plastic companies top the list. While the unemployment rate sits a little higher than national averages, the cost of living is lower. The median home value is at $170,000 and average monthly rent sits at about $615. The most popular job opportunities are offered by Staples, Bi-Lo, Home Depot and the Greenville Hospital System. Even though Anderson has shown weak income trends over the past decade, its strengths for the future are witnessed in low business costs, positive migration and a flexible workforce, partly attributable to low unionization.
History:
The original residents of Anderson were the Cherokee Indians. But in the mid- 1700s, General Robert Anderson and his friend General Andrew Pickens began to explore the area, and it did not take long before settlers from Scotland and England set up house as landowners who uncharacteristically for the times did not own slaves. This began a trend for the area to stay self-determined and independent, and even defiant when it came to going along with all the rules. During the Civil war, Confederate soldiers who were tired of the ongoing battles were attracted to the Anderson area because it offered both an empathetic social environment and a terrain that was perfect to hide in. In 1895, William Whitner, an Anderson engineer, figured out a system for electricity to be conducted through wires by using hydroelectric power that supplied the textile mills with power and also inspired Anderson's nickname, "Electric City." In November of 1931, Amelia Earhart was greeted by over a thousand people at the airport when she landed there on one of her flights.
Tourism:
Anderson's downtown area provides amazing history with its houses, churches and memorials. The Anderson County Museum houses the Fred Whitten Gallery, 12,000 square feet of exhibits covering everything from the military history to the religious history of the region. For family fun, the theme park Outer Limits is a main attraction for not only Anderson, but the whole state of Tennessee. Anyone who wants to enjoy nature also has some great choices. With the Blue Ridge Mountains close by, it is easy to find many places for camping, cycling, hiking or horse back-riding. It is not necessary to travel too far to enjoy water as well; there are hundreds of miles of lake shorelines throughout the area.