Economic Development Statistics for Laurens County South Carolina
Laurens County is proud of its place in Upstate South Carolina as a center for excellence in manufacturing. Our top industries for employment are: plastics (25.6%), metal related (24.2%), and distribution (18.2%). Of these companies, almost 30% of the employment supports the Auto Industry.
Industrial Average Cost:
a. Industrial Bldg. Lease – 4.00 per Square Foot;
b. Industrial Land – 15,000 per Acre
Statistics | Unemployment - July 2010
Laurens County: 12.4%
South Carolina: 10.8%
Statistics | Median Family Income (2007) American Community Survey 3 yr. Estimate
Laurens County: $43,259
South Carolina: $52,913
Statistics | Work Force Rating (CNBC) 2009
#1 Georgia
#2 North Carolina
#3 Florida
#4 Tennessee
#6 South Carolina
#14 Alabama
#19 Kentucky
#22 Mississippi
Statistics | Labor Pool
Under-employed, Non Participants, Commuters, People Turning Age 18, Unemployed, College Students, College Graduates: Laurens County has a potential labor pool of approximately 366,000 people.
Statistics | Cost of Living Comparison for Laurens County

Statistics | Workers Compensation Comparison for Laurens County
Cost per $100 of Payroll (Most Expensive to Least Expensive)#8 Kentucky 2.96
#9 Alabama 2.90
#13 South Carolina 2.74
#21 Tennessee 2.44
#22 North Carolina 2.43
#24 Mississippi 2.33
#25 Georgia 2.29
#28 Florida 2.20
Gross Retail Sales:$49,000,000
Statistics | Costs of Doing Business in South Carolina
Cost is a major consideration when a company chooses a state. We looked at the tax burden, including individual income and property taxes, business taxes, even the gasoline tax. Utility costs can add up to a huge expense for business, and they vary widely by state. We also looked at the cost of wages and state workers’ compensation insurance, as well as rental costs for office and industrial space.#16 North Carolina
#17 Georgia
#5 South Carolina
#43 Florida
#19 Tennessee
#14 Mississippi
#8 Kentucky
#18 Alabama
Statistics | Occupational Wages for Laurens County | Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008
| Non-Exempt Occupations | Entry | Average | Experienced |
| Extruding & Forming Machine Setters | $10.97 | $15.82 | $19.98 |
| Installation, Maintenance & Repair | $11.00 | $18.00 | $24.00 |
| Machine Tool Setters & Tenders | $8.54 | $14.30 | $19.49 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $13.80 | $18.85 | $25.60 |
| Machinists | $10.48 | $15.76 | $26.78 |
| Packaging & Filling Machine Operators | $8.88 | $10.52 | $16.68 |
| Molding & Casting Machine Operators | $10.37 | $14.71 | $20.30 |
| Sewing Machine Operators | $6.82 | $9.91 | $13.29 |
| Textile, Cutting Machine Operators | $8.78 | $12.47 | $15.13 |
| Truck Drivers, Heavy & Tractor-Trailer | $12.59 | $20.06 | $26.82 |
| Welders, Cutters & Solderers | $10.51 | $15.64 | $24.02 |
| Woodworking Machine Setters | $7.96 | $10.99 | $17.43 |
| Exempt Occupations | Entry | Average | Experienced |
| Chemical Engineers | $46,820 | $55,460 | $66,020 |
| Computer Programmers | $32,400 | $40,960 | $49,560 |
| Engineers, NEC | $45,360 | $49,520 | $56,100 |
| First Line Production Supervisor | $30,240 | $39,140 | $46,920 |
| Industrial Engineers | $43,060 | $50,620 | $59,020 |
| Mechanical Engineers | $49,380 | $56,920 | $63,920 |
Statistics | Population for Laurens County
![]() | 1990 | 2008 | % Change |
| Total Population: | 58,132 | 69,681 | 19.9 |
| City of Clinton | 7,987 | 8,892 | 11.3 |
| City of Laurens | 9,694 | 9,599 | -4.0 |
| Town of Gray Court | 914 | 987 | 8.0 |
| Race | Total 2008 | Percent |
| White | 50,738 | 72.8 |
| Black | 17,767 | 25.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,340 | 3.4 |
| Other | 181 | 0.6 |
| Upstate Counties | 1990 | 2008 Estimate | % Change from 1990 |
| Abbeville | 23,862 | 25,404 | 6.5 |
| Anderson | 145,177 | 182,825 | 26.0 |
| Cherokee | 44,506 | 54,394 | 22.2 |
| Greenville | 320,127 | 438,119 | 36.9 |
| Greenwood | 59,567 | 68,549 | 15.1 |
| Laurens | 58,132 | 69,681 | 19.9 |
| Pickens | 93,896 | 116,915 | 24.5 |
| Spartanburg | 226,793 | 280,738 | 23.8 |
| Union | 30,337 | 27,672 | -8.8 |
Statistics | Climate for Laurens County | SC Climatology Office (1901-2008)
Average Temperature: 60
Average High: 73.3
Average Low: 46.9
Annual Rainfall: 46.74"
Annual Snowfall: 2.2"

