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Living in
Myrtle Beach.
About
Life in Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach offers a straightforward coastal lifestyle centered around the tourism economy—if you're comfortable with that being the pulse of your community, there's stability here. The year-round warm weather is real: summers are long, hot, and humid with frequent afternoon thunderstorms (September is particularly wet), while winters are mild enough that snow is almost nonexistent. Spring and fall are genuinely pleasant.
Myrtle Beach at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
47.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
19.0%
Foreign-Born
10.8%
Broadband Internet
92.7%
of households
Population Growth
+14.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Myrtle Beach: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Myrtle Beach, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (25.2%), and 9.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
16.2%
of residents
65 and Older
23.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
19.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.8%
of households
Married Couples
43.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.17
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 7% above SC average
Rent, home values, and income in Myrtle Beach
In Myrtle Beach, rent runs 7% above the SC average, and home values are 50% above the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
33.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,209
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1994
median year built
Vacant Homes
27.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $323,033 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts above SC average
Unemployment in Myrtle Beach
Unemployment in Myrtle Beach is 0.5 percentage points higher than the SC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Myrtle Beach Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.7 min avg
How Myrtle Beach residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Myrtle Beach, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 2 mi
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR)
Small hub1.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 86 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 235% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Myrtle Beach runs 235% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,103.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
5,389.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Myrtle Beach Police Department
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 Myrtle Beach, 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
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Horry County, which includes Myrtle Beach, 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
Climate86°F summers, 35°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Myrtle Beach has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and mild winters (avg low 35°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/51°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/54°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
57°/35°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
53.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.5"
Hot Days/Year
22
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
38
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
122
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 34°F | 3.43" |
| Feb | 58°F | 36°F | 3.76" |
| Mar | 64°F | 42°F | 3.71" |
| Apr | 72°F | 51°F | 3.38" |
| May | 79°F | 60°F | 3.80" |
| Jun | 85°F | 68°F | 4.85" |
| Jul | 87°F | 72°F | 6.61" |
| Aug | 87°F | 70°F | 6.27" |
| Sep | 83°F | 65°F | 6.77" |
| Oct | 76°F | 54°F | 4.11" |
| Nov | 66°F | 42°F | 3.06" |
| Dec | 59°F | 36°F | 3.81" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
15.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Grand Strand Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Lighthouse Behavioral Health Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available · 8.4 mi away · Conway
Conway Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.6 mi away · Conway
Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.7 mi away · Murrells Inlet
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.
Education16.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach's student/teacher ratio is 16.3:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 33.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
33.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Myrtle Beach
Galen Health Institutes-Myrtle Beach
Private for-profit · 2-year · 743 students · in-state tuition $17,984 · median earnings $69,188 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (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: Moores Creek National Battlefield, 68 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Moores Creek National Battlefield (68 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Moores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
68 mi awayCharles Pinckney National Historic Site
National Historic Site
81 mi awayFort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
National Historical Park
87 mi awayPublic Libraries in Myrtle Beach
Chapin Memorial Library
400 14th Ave. N., Myrtle Beach
Cities Near Myrtle Beach
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Myrtle Beach?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Myrtle Beach FAQ
Is Myrtle Beach, South Carolina affordable?⌄
Myrtle Beach's median rent is $1,261/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $60,394/year. Median home value is $388,800.
Is Myrtle Beach, South Carolina safe?⌄
Myrtle Beach's violent crime rate was 1104 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 5390 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina?⌄
Myrtle Beach has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Myrtle Beach is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,261/month and median household income is $60,394/year. The median home value is $388,800. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Myrtle Beach is 18 minutes, which is shorter than 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