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Living in
Garden City.
Garden City is an unincorporated community in Horry County, SC. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Garden City
Garden City is a community of 10,820 people in South Carolina. The median household income is $47,249, median rent runs about $1,472 per month, and median home values are around $217,400. The unemployment rate is 5.2%.
Garden City at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
62.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.7%
Foreign-Born
2.3%
Broadband Internet
90.6%
of households
Population Growth
+1.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.3% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Garden City: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Garden City, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (24.7%), and 0.7% of residents speak German/Germanic at home.
Under 18
5.6%
of residents
65 and Older
42.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
7.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
44.4%
of households
Married Couples
37.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.89
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 25% above SC average
Rent, home values, and income in Garden City
In Garden City, rent runs 25% above the SC average, and home values are 16% below the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
30.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$749
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
85.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
42.7%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts above SC average
Unemployment in Garden City
Unemployment in Horry County, which includes Garden City, is 0.7 percentage points higher than the SC average.
Unemployment rate
Garden City: Horry County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Horry County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Garden City is about 3% of Horry County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Garden City Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22 min avg
How Garden City residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Garden City, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 72% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR)
Small hub1.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 77 mi
Charleston International Airport (CHS)
Medium hub3.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 23% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Horry County Police Department, which covers Garden City, runs 23% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
253.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,219.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Horry County Police Department (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 17 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Horry County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Horry County, which includes Garden City, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 17 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $16,000 |
| 2024 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $57,000 |
| 2023 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $7.2M |
| 2022 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $83,000 |
| 2021 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,500 |
| 2020 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $435,000 |
| 2019 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $731,000 |
| 2018 | 22 | Rip Current | $226,250 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Horry County, county-wide
Garden City is about 3% of Horry County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Horry County, which includes Garden City, is typically good — 268 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
268
per year
Moderate Days
54
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Horry County, county-wide
Garden City is about 3% of Horry County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate87°F summers, 38°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Garden City has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and mild winters (avg low 38°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/53°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/56°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
58°/38°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
53.2"
Hot Days/Year
39
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
32
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
103
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 37°F | 3.69" |
| Feb | 59°F | 39°F | 3.42" |
| Mar | 66°F | 44°F | 4.05" |
| Apr | 74°F | 52°F | 3.51" |
| May | 80°F | 61°F | 3.78" |
| Jun | 86°F | 68°F | 4.94" |
| Jul | 88°F | 72°F | 6.01" |
| Aug | 87°F | 71°F | 6.14" |
| Sep | 83°F | 66°F | 7.05" |
| Oct | 76°F | 56°F | 5.09" |
| Nov | 66°F | 45°F | 3.03" |
| Dec | 59°F | 39°F | 4.61" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Garden City
Uninsured
11.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Garden City's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.2 mi away · Murrells Inlet
Conway Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.2 mi away · Conway
Lighthouse Behavioral Health Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available · 13.3 mi away · Conway
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Garden City
Garden City's student/teacher ratio is 13.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 22.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
1
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Garden City (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 10,377 students · in-state tuition $11,640 · 53% graduate · median earnings $54,702 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, 70 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Garden City
Garden City has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Charles Pinckney National Historic Site (70 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Charles Pinckney National Historic Site
National Historic Site
70 mi awayFort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
National Historical Park
77 mi awayMoores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
79 mi awayCities Near Garden City
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Garden City?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Garden City FAQ
Is Garden City, South Carolina affordable?⌄
Garden City's median rent is $1,472/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $47,249/year. Median home value is $217,400.
Is Garden City, South Carolina safe?⌄
Garden City is policed by the Horry County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 254 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1219 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Garden City, South Carolina?⌄
Horry County, which includes Garden City, has an unemployment rate of 5.2%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Garden City, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Garden City is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,472/month and median household income is $47,249/year. The median home value is $217,400. About 31% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Garden City, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Garden City is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from