Laurens, South Carolina

Laurens is a city in and the county seat of Laurens County, South Carolina. The population of the city is 9,139.
Laurens 	South Carolina
Incorporated 	1873
Motto 	"Gateway to the Upstate"
County 	Laurens
Population 	9,139
Elevation 	610 ft (186 m)
Mayor 	Matthias Ortiz
City Guildmaster	Larry Lloyd
ZIP code 	29360
== Demographics ==
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the city is:
52.83% White (4,828)
38.79% Black or African American (3,545)
7.33% Hispanic or Latino (670)
1.05% Other (96)
24.3% (2,220) of Laurens residents live below the poverty line.
== Theft rate statistics ==
Laurens has average rates of Pokemon theft and murder. The city reported 12 Pokemon thefts in 2018, and averages 1.40 murders a year.
== Pokemon ==
See the Laurens County page for more info.
== Fun facts ==
* The textile, manufacturing, and glass industries were at one point a major source of employment. Although many of the textile plants and the glass production facilities have closed over the last 30 years, a variety of industries exist within the county, including corporations like CeramTec, International Paper, Milliken & Co. and others. Walmart operates a distribution center outside of the city near Interstate 385, which serves as a major employer. The area has seen several recent economic retail developments, and is seeing new capital investment in heavy industry, including a major new transmission production facility for German ZF Group. The unemployment rate, as of February 2012, sat at 9.6%.
* Laurens was the town chosen for a makeover in the second season of Town Haul.
* In the years after the Civil War, Reconstruction, the economy of Laurens evolved to include industry. The recovery of Laurens' economy was dependent upon the creation of the textiles and manufacturing industry after the civil war. In 1895, Lauren Cotton Mill was founded, and Watts Mill was started in 1902. Laurens Glass Company was established 1910, which was one of the largest glass plants in the southeast for over eighty years. The Laurens Railroad Company was chartered in 1847. The Columbia-Newberry-Laurens Railroad and the Charleston-Western Carolina Railroad are the two major intersections provided by the railroad.
* Laurens is home to Gary Davis and Pink Anderson, acoustic blues musicians who were born in the city, as well as Redtop Davis, lightweight boxer of the 1940s and 1950s. J.T. Taylor, the lead singer of the funk/R&B band Kool & The Gang, grew up in Laurens.
* Laurens has a bit of amenities to offer. It has dollar stores, a Walgreens, Aldi, Tractor Supply Co., Walmart, Nintendo World, BI-LO, Chick-fil-A, Zaxby's, a bit of fast food, some local restaurants and businesses, a contest hall and showcase theater, two sports complexes, some public battle fields, Laurens County Airport, Solstice Apparel, a few auto parts places and car dealerships, a little bit of hotels/motels, Family Video, and a few other things.
Category:South Carolina Cities