1. Strong Job Growth
- Average of 10,000 net new jobs annually over past 6 years (charlestonregionaldata.com)
- 29.7% total growth in employment across all industries over the last 15 years (U.S national growth 7.4%) (charlestonregionaldata.com)
- Civilian labor force grew 4.5x faster than the US average from 2010-2015 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
2. Staggeringly Low Unemployment Rate of Only 4.4%
- 4.4% unemployment rate (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
3. Advanced Transportation Infrastructure with Unrivaled Access to International Trade
- The Port of Charleston is the most productive port in North America
- Charleston International Airport is the busiest airport in South Carolina, serving more than 3.1 million passengers in 2014
- The airport is currently undergoing a $190+ million terminal renovation project
4. Swelling Migration
- #2 “Most Moved to State” (United Van Lines, January 2015)
- 11.2% population growth from April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015 (census.gov)
- 12,700 annual net in-migration (crda.org)
5. Young, Enthusiastic, Educated Work Force
- 51.8% of population has achieved a bachelor’s degree or higher (city-data.com)
6. Booming Industrial Climate
- $3.9 billion economic impact due to the relocation and expansion of diverse companies in the Charleston region from 2014-2015 (South Carolina Department of Commerce)
- Ranked 18th in the US for advanced industries (Bookings Institution)
- Largest employers include Boeing, Wal-mart, Volvo, Mercedes, Daimler and Trident Medical Center LLC
7. Esteemed Location
- #12 ‘best place to live in the US’ (Outside Magazine)
- #2 ‘America’s most exciting mid-size cities’ (Movoto 2014)
- Consistently named “Greatest Places to Live” by Outside Magazine
8. Well-Balanced Lifestyle and Culture
- The people of Charleston work hard and play hard as they are fueled by a warm climate, culture, food, and an attractive cost of living
- Miles of beaches
- Called a ‘millenial talent magnet’ by USA Today due to growth of creative class and skilled talent
9. Travel Hotspot
- Charleston continues to grow boasting 4.5 million annual visitors
- Charleston proves to be an international destination as it is consistently voted the no. 1 city in the US and no. 2 city on the World’s Best Cities lists by top travel magazines
- “Best City in the United States” 2013, 2014, and 2015 – Travel and Leisure Magazine.