This SC city is named among best small towns to retire in US. Here’s why

It wasn’t too long ago that Greer, South Carolina, was a sleepy hometown recovering from the implosion of the textile industry.

This week, it’s on a Travel + Leisure list of best places nationally to retire.

The city of Greer, the Greer Commission of Public Works, along with private investors, have spent millions on infrastructure and new buildings during the last 10 year. The downtown has been revitalized with a new streetscape, attracting new retail businesses and supporting the ones that have been there for years.

A parking garage was built and a downtown hotel is under construction.

Greer’s population has blossomed. The 2020 census reported Greer grew by 38% since 2010 to 35,308, making it the second largest city in Greenville County.

Travel + Leisure said, “The city has maintained a small town atmosphere, with a revitalized downtown, easy pedestrian access, and attractive twinkling lights. Restaurants, weekly farmers’ market, parks, and Thursday night food trucks create a community atmosphere.”

The list of best places to retire was based on readers’ votes.

But some residents on Facebook decried the listing, saying Greer needs to be kept a secret.

“Remove this...lol way too many people are here already,” one said.

Another asked where everyone was going to drive.

“I fully understand why Greer is on this list, but we are busting at the seams already. Traffic is already a nightmare and I don’t know how some of the roads can be expanded to accommodate it,” Nichole Riley said on Facebook.

Travel + Leisure also noted there are two hospitals and a cancer center in Greer, and the BMW manufacturing plant is located nearby.

“Served by the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport as well as Amtrak, the city is accessible and convenient to additional amenities in nearby Greenville,” Travel + Leisure said..

Other towns on the list were Coolidge, Arizona; Dillsboro, North Carolina; Fredericksburg, Texas; Cedar Key, Florida; Paso Robles, California; Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania; Mequon, Wisconsin; Bristol, Vermont; Hamilton, Montana;