Relaxed lakeside living and thriving communities that maintain their small-town atmosphere draw new residents to York County. With easy access along I-77 and S.C. 49, residents have the best of both worlds – the charms and friendliness of small-town living combined with cultural, shopping and other attractions of a large city just across the state line. Families are drawn to the area by excellent employment opportunities with rapidly expanding industrial areas nearby, sporting events, a reputation for quality public schools and recreational opportunities on Lake Wylie and in nearby parks.

West of I-77 is Rock Hill, the fifth-largest city in South Carolina with 58,000 residents. Rock Hill boasts new business parks, low unemployment and an abundance of new neighborhoods with something for everyone. It is situated between Columbia SC and Charlotte NC...a wee bit closer to Charlotte.

York County is full of cultural activities that show the true beauty, character and history of the area. Anne Springs Close Greenway is a 2,300-acre protected natural area that includes camping sites and a reservoir that’s great for fishing. The Museum of York County features mounted African animals, tribal dress and art galleries, and Historic Brattonsville is a Revolutionary War battle site consisting of two dozen structures and extensive nature trails which served as the film site for Mel Gibson’s The Patriot.

Baseball fans can go out to the ballpark at Knights Castle on Gold Hill Road at I-77 to see the AAA International League Charlotte Knights, affiliated with the Chicago White Sox. Next door to Knights Castle is the NBA Charlotte Bobcats Training Center.

Road improvements along I-77, S.C. highways 5 and 160 and other major thoroughfares continue to enhance York County’s business climate. As well as the ongoing business park developments, shopping centers, and restaurants popping up throughout the area.

Fort Mill, a community once known for textiles and peach farming, is now rapidly becoming a town well known for its excellent schools. Fort Mill takes its name from a colonial-era fort built by the British and a gristmill on nearby Steele Creek. Today the population of the town of Fort Mill is just over 8,000 people – a number that is expected to grow rapidly over the next decade.

With just 7,000 residents, the historic City of York has seen recent change through the downtown revitalization program, which put an emphasis back toward the center of the city with renovations like the reopening of the historic Sylvia Theater and the annual Summerfest, which brings more than 50,000 people downtown every August.

The tiny town of Clover is just a few miles past the Buster Boyd bridge.  A quaint country town with very good schools.

Rock Hill’s downtown is a model for surrounding communities to redevelop their older Main Street districts and bring new business and residential development back to downtown. The Textile Corridor, which is a series of old mills marked for development, is still in the planning stage, but luxury townhomes, loft apartments and new restaurants and shops are recent additions to this area.  

While new developments are thriving, Winthrop University has been a Rock Hill landmark since 1895. Long known for its teacher preparation programs, Winthrop has also gained widespread recognition for its other courses of study.

Rock Hill Fort and the surrounding areas are served by a variety of local medical practices and health-care services to fit anyone’s needs. Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill is a fully accredited hospital providing a full range of emergency, acute-care and specialty services.