Resources

A City Where Family and Business Both Benefit

Finding the perfect location for your business is your utmost priority, but why should you have to give up a great quality of life?

You shouldn’t. In Goose Creek, we have the best of both worlds. Our population is young and diverse, our public works are dependable, and our recreation department is one of the regions’ finest with modern facilities and activities for all ages. We’re also a short drive from one of the most important seaports on the east coast and one of the largest South Carolina cities: Charleston.

In short, business in Goose Creek is the best of both worlds: big-city amenities with a small-community feel.

Target Industries

We welcome all businesses that want to set up shop in Goose Creek, but especially those that help contribute to economic growth and/or quality of life for our residents. Our priorities are aligned with the Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA). If your business falls into one of the following categories, we encourage you to explore Goose Creek’s demographic information, business incentives, and more!

Hospitality

Retail

I.T.

Culture

Aerospace

Logistics

Restaurants

Automotive

Demographics

Our people are our greatest asset, so you should know a little more about them.

With the naval weapons station located in our backyard, we’ve always had a strong military personnel presence and a healthy mix of singles and family units. But as Charleston has continued to grow, we have watched our demographics change to reflect a younger population with more spending capital and a desire to enjoy all the Lowcountry has to offer.

By the Numbers

32.8% growth since 2010 (and still growing!)

$390M in economic overflow that new businesses can capitalize on

25-44, largest age bracket of residents

33% of our population is single

47% of our population are married couples

70% of our residents own their own homes

Take a Deeper Look At Our Area’s Demographics

Demographics Within City Limits

Southern Trade Area

Carnes Crossroads Trade Area

Developer Handout

Curious what development will impact our area over the next several years? Check out this map showing the total estimated build-out for Carnes, Cane Bay, and Nexton.

Carnes Growth Area Map

Incentives

The financial weight of starting a new business, or relocating an existing one, is no small thing.

We believe in the power of public-private partnerships and we’re willing to work with you to make Goose Creek your city of choice — whether by providing our own city-wide incentives or by referring you to other helpful resources. For our targeted geographic areas, check out this map of our incentive zones.

City Incentives

If your business falls into one of our sought-after industries, the city may provide the following incentives:

Up to 100% of the applicable Development Impact Fees collected by the City
Up to 50% of the building permit fees collected by the City
Up to 50% of the business license fees collected by the City for as many as five years
Up to 50% of the local hospitality taxes collected by the City for as many as five years

State Incentives

If your business falls outside of the categories listed under City Incentives, you might qualify for state or regional incentives. Please note that specific industries can apply for both local and state assistance.

See State Incentives

Grants and Loans

We want businesses to be healthy in our city, so incentives aren’t the only financial benefit we offer. We, along with our partners, provide business loans and grants to qualifying businesses. Check out how we can partner with you to Kickstart the Creek.

Kickstart the Creek – Small Business Loan Program

The City is pleased to partner with CLIMB Fund for our new small business assistance program: Kickstart the Creek 2.0. The program will provide loans to small businesses inside City limits.

The City is contributing $500,000 as seed funding, and CLIMB Fund will administer the program through its office in Charleston. Kickstart funds will be used as part of larger lending projects, helping small businesses and start-ups establish operations or expand inside Goose Creek.

For program information or an application, please contact Rob Wiggins at the City or reach out to CLIMB Fund direclty.

DETAILS

Be located within the city limits of Goose Creek
- All borrowers shall agree to maintain a physical presence in the City for the duration of the loan with the agreement that removing the business’s physical presence from the City will trigger an immediate recall of the loan funds.
Be a small business
- Small Business is defined as those businesses with 25 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees, including franchises with fewer than 25 employees in the City.
Be a target business or industry for the City of Goose Creek
Have a Goose Creek valid business license or license eligibility

Loan amounts will be no larger than 25% of any individual project’s total borrowed funds. For instance, if a business borrows $60,000 for an expansion, only $15,000 of those funds would come from Kickstart the Creek funding. The rest may come from CLIMB Fund directly.
CLIMB Fund will perform all the underwriting responsibilities and determine what type of loan is appropriate. They will also determine the interest rates. Rates will fall within CLIMB Fund’s risk rating. CLIMB Fund will retain 75% of the interest paid, and 25% of the interest will be reinvested into the program.
CLIMB Fund will consider jobs created by the project, investment of the owner, and the project size. A borrower must be denied by a traditional lender
The principal repayments will be reinvested into the program.
Application fee of $125, payable to CLIMB Fund.
Loan terms and duration will be set by CLIMB Fund, with a maximum of seven years. There is no pre-payment penalty.

More Info on Applying

The details listed in our FAQs are not exhaustive, and other terms and conditions may apply. Loans and eligibility are at the sole discretion of the City and CLIMB Fund. For more details about applying for a loan and the terms, please contact CLIMB Fund at [email protected] or visit their website.

Façade Grant

Applicable for properties zoned general commercial, these grants help business owners make improvements to their business exteriors. Eligible activities include: painting, landscaping, and other aesthetic improvements. This is a matching grant, and recipients may receive up to $5,000 in funding.

To apply, click here.

For program details, including eligible activities, click here.

Questions, contact Rob Wiggins.

Sign Replacement Incentive Program

The purpose of the program is to enhance the image and livability of the City, as well as promote positive economic growth. The City will provide monetary assistance for sign removal and replacement in parts of the City. The program is designed to encourage rapid removal of existing nonconforming signage. All pre-existing, non-conforming signs have until 2033 to come into compliance with the City of Goose Creek Sign Regulations.

For program details, including eligible activities, click here.

Questions, contact Rob Wiggins.

Workforce Statistics

Our workforce is skilled for a variety of industries — from large-scale manufacturing to tourism, retail, and hospitality.

We benefit from our proximity to Charleston and provide an enticing alternative to anyone hoping to avoid city traffic. We believe in investing in our people and we partner with incredible agencies and programs to help companies and workers succeed.

A division of the SC Technical College System, ReadySC is a workforce training program that works to help meet companies’ needs.