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Living in
Little River.
Little River 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 Little River
Little River is a community of 10,457 people in South Carolina. The median household income is $65,786, median rent runs about $1,531 per month, and median home values are around $305,800. The unemployment rate is 5.2%.
Little River at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
61.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.7%
Foreign-Born
6.7%
Broadband Internet
89.8%
of households
Population Growth
+6.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.7% foreign-born, most often from Jamaica
Who lives in Little River: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Little River, the largest foreign-born group is from Jamaica (30.0%), and 2.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
10.3%
of residents
65 and Older
42.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
10.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.5%
of households
Married Couples
48.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.99
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 29% above SC average
Rent, home values, and income in Little River
In Little River, rent runs 29% above the SC average, and home values are 18% above the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$960
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
76.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1996
median year built
Vacant Homes
29.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $323,066 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts above SC average
Unemployment in Little River
Unemployment in Horry County, which includes Little River, is 0.7 percentage points higher than the SC average.
Unemployment rate
Little River: Horry County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Horry County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Little River is about 3% of Horry County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Little River Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute25.3 min avg
How Little River residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Little River, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 70% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 22 mi
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR)
Small hub1.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 105 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 Little River, 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 Little River, 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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Horry County, county-wide
Little River 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 Little River, 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
Little River is about 3% of Horry County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate86°F summers, 39°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Little River has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and mild winters (avg low 39°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
72°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/72°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/57°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
58°/39°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
59.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.5"
Hot Days/Year
21
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
34
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
122
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 37°F | 3.01" |
| Feb | 58°F | 40°F | 3.18" |
| Mar | 65°F | 45°F | 3.59" |
| Apr | 72°F | 53°F | 2.77" |
| May | 79°F | 62°F | 2.96" |
| Jun | 85°F | 70°F | 4.07" |
| Jul | 88°F | 74°F | 5.40" |
| Aug | 87°F | 73°F | 6.25" |
| Sep | 83°F | 68°F | 6.65" |
| Oct | 76°F | 56°F | 4.20" |
| Nov | 66°F | 46°F | 3.29" |
| Dec | 59°F | 40°F | 3.10" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Little River
Uninsured
8.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Little River's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Grand Strand Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.8 mi away · Myrtle Beach
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.
Education25.8% college degree rate
Schools and degree attainment in Little River
Public Schools
0
none inside city limits; students attend nearby district schools
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Little River (within 15 miles)
Galen Health Institutes-Myrtle Beach
13.9 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 743 students · in-state tuition $17,984 · median earnings $69,188 (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: Moores Creek National Battlefield, 50 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Little River
Little River has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Moores Creek National Battlefield (50 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Moores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
50 mi awayCharles Pinckney National Historic Site
National Historic Site
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Little River
Little River Library
107 Hwy 57 North, Little River
Cities Near Little River
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Little River?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Little River FAQ
Is Little River, South Carolina affordable?⌄
Little River's median rent is $1,528/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $65,786/year. Median home value is $305,800.
Is Little River, South Carolina safe?⌄
Little River 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 Little River, South Carolina?⌄
Horry County, which includes Little River, has an unemployment rate of 5.2%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Little River, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Little River is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,528/month and median household income is $65,786/year. The median home value is $305,800. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Little River, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Little River is 25 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