Travelers Rest, South Carolina Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

by btobers · Published June 28, 2019 · Updated September 12, 2024

Travelers Rest, South Carolina is a small city located in Greenville County. With a population of around 4,800 people, Travelers Rest is the largest city in the county. The city is situated on the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and has an elevation of 1,220 feet. The climate in Travelers Rest is mild with hot summers and cold winters.

The history of Travelers Rest dates back to 1781 when it was established as a campground for travelers on their way from North Carolina to Georgia. Throughout its history, Travelers Rest has seen many changes including being part of Pickens County for a period before becoming part of Greenville County in 1871.

Politically, the city operates under a mayor-council form of government with all five council members elected at-large from within the city limits. The current mayor is Doug Watson who was elected in 2016.

The economy of Travelers Rest is largely based on retail and service industry businesses such as restaurants and hotels as well as some light manufacturing companies. There are also several small businesses located throughout town that provide services to both residents and visitors alike.

Travelers Rest offers several public schools including elementary schools, middle schools and a high school which are all operated by Greenville County Schools Districts One & Two. Private schools are also available within the area such as St. Mary’s Catholic School and Heritage Christian Academy which offer religious instruction alongside general studies curriculums for students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade programs respectively.

There are many landmarks located throughout Travelers Rest that attract visitors from near and far such as Falls Park on the Reedy River which features walking trails along with cascading waterfalls; Paris Mountain State Park which offers camping; and Poinsett Bridge which was built in 1820 by Joel Poinsett who served as US Ambassador to Mexico at one point during his career . Additionally there are several historical sites around town like Glenwilde Plantation House which was built circa 1835 by General Robert Patton – nephew of General George S Patton – who used it as his summer home until he passed away in 1887; Furman University’s Cliffs Cottage Inn which was built in 1840; and Traveller’s Rest Plantation House which served as an inn for travelers passing through town during its early years before becoming General Patton’s winter home later in life.

Population: 4,099. Estimated population in July 2024: 4,237 (+3.4% change)
Males: 1,976 (48.2%), Females: 2,123 (51.8%)

Greenville County

Zip code: 29690

Demographics

Median resident age: 32.2 years
Median household income: $34,917
Median house value: $93,100

Population by Race

Races in Travelers Rest:

White Non-Hispanic (74.9%)
Black (18.3%)
Hispanic (4.2%)
Other race (1.7%)
Two or more races (1.2%)
American Indian (0.9%)
Vietnamese (0.6%)

Ancestries: United States (22.5%), English (10.4%), German (7.6%), Irish (6.0%), Subsaharan African (5.4%), Scottish (2.7%).

Elevation: 1100 feet

Land area: 4.4 square miles

Population by Education

Travelers Rest, South Carolina is a small town located in the northwestern part of the state with a population of 4,926 as of 2017. The median age of residents is 42.5 years and the median household income is $46,361. The cost of living in Travelers Rest is 5% lower than the national average and the unemployment rate is 4.2%, which is slightly lower than the national average.

The town has an active downtown district that offers a variety of restaurants and shops for visitors to explore. There are also several outdoor recreation opportunities such as hiking trails, biking trails, and parks for visitors to enjoy. The local education system includes three public schools and one private school that offer quality education to students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Housing prices in Travelers Rest can range from affordable to expensive depending on your budget and needs. The median home value in Travelers Rest was $165,400 in 2019 which is slightly above the national average. Rent prices in Travelers Rest are also slightly higher than the national average with a median rent price of $1,097 per month for a one bedroom apartment or house rental as of 2019.

For population 25 years and over in Travelers Rest

High school or higher: 76.3%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 14.0%
Graduate or professional degree: 6.0%
Unemployed: 2.7%
Mean travel time to work: 24.6 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Travelers Rest city

Never married: 23.9%
Now married: 53.3%
Separated: 4.1%
Widowed: 9.1%
Divorced: 9.6%

2.8% Foreign born (1.7% Latin America, 0.7% Europe).

Population change in the 1990s: +862 (+26.6%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Travelers Rest:

NORTH GREENVILLE HOSPITAL (807 N MAIN ST)
SPRINGBROOK BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE (ONE HAVENWOOD LANE PO BOX 1005)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Travelers Rest:

ST FRANCIS HOSPITAL (about 9 miles; GREENVILLE, SC)
GREENVILLE HOSPITAL CENTER (about 13 miles; GREENVILLE, SC)
CAROLINA CTR FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH,THE (about 14 miles; GREER, SC)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Travelers Rest:

DONALDSON CENTER (about 16 miles; GREENVILLE, SC; Abbreviation: GYH)
GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG INTL (about 17 miles; GREER, SC; Abbreviation: GSP)
ASHEVILLE REGIONAL (about 33 miles; ASHEVILLE, NC; Abbreviation: AVL)

Other public-use airports nearest to Travelers Rest:

GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN (about 12 miles; GREENVILLE, SC; Abbreviation: GMU)
PICKENS COUNTY (about 22 miles; PICKENS, SC; Abbreviation: LQK)
HENDERSONVILLE (about 23 miles; HENDERSONVILLE, NC; Abbreviation: 0A7)

Amtrak station near Travelers Rest:

8 miles: GREENVILLE (1120 W. WASHINGTON ST.). Services: ticket office, fully wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, vending machines, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for taxi service.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Travelers Rest:

FURMAN UNIVERSITY (about 4 miles; GREENVILLE, SC; Full-time enrollment: 2,915)
BOB JONES UNIVERSITY (about 9 miles; GREENVILLE, SC; Full-time enrollment: 3,577)
GREENVILLE TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 12 miles; GREENVILLE, SC; Full-time enrollment: 6,157)
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY (about 21 miles; CLEMSON, SC; Full-time enrollment: 15,962)
SPARTANBURG TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 25 miles; SPARTANBURG, SC; Full-time enrollment: 2,086)
TRI-COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 33 miles; PENDLETON, SC; Full-time enrollment: 2,343)
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT SPARTANBURG (about 34 miles; SPARTANBURG, SC; Full-time enrollment: 3,041)

Schools

Public high school in Travelers Rest:

TRAVELERS REST HIGH (Students: 1,264; Location: 115 WILHELM WINNER SOUTH; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Travelers Rest:

NORTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 853; Location: 1606 GREER HIGHWAY; Grades: 06 – 08)
GATEWAY ELEM (Students: 671; Location: 200 HAWKINS ROAD; Grades: PK – 05)
HERITAGE ELEMENTARY (Students: 615; Location: 1592 GREER HIGHWAY; Grades: PK – 05)
WOHALI ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL (Location: ONE HAVENWOOD LANE; Grades: PK – 12)