© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Socastee.
Socastee 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 Socastee
Socastee is a community of 24,629 people in South Carolina. The median household income is $62,257, median rent runs about $1,244 per month, and median home values are around $234,200. The unemployment rate is 5.2%.
Socastee at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.6%
Foreign-Born
9.7%
Broadband Internet
91.6%
of households
Population Growth
-1.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Socastee: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Socastee, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (33.5%), and 11.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.7%
of residents
65 and Older
20.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
24.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.7%
of households
Married Couples
48.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.60
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 6% above SC average
Rent, home values, and income in Socastee
In Socastee, rent runs 6% above the SC average, and home values are 10% below the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$754
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1995
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.8%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts above SC average
Unemployment in Socastee
Unemployment in Horry County, which includes Socastee, is 0.7 percentage points higher than the SC average.
Unemployment rate
Socastee: Horry County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Horry County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Socastee Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.6 min avg
How Socastee residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Socastee, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 80% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR)
Small hub1.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 81 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 Socastee, 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 Socastee, 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 Socastee, 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
Socastee 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
55.5"
Hot Days/Year
22
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
38
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
101
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" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Socastee
Uninsured
19.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Socastee's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Conway Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.8 mi away · Conway
Lighthouse Behavioral Health Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available · 6.8 mi away · Conway
Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.9 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.
Education15.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Socastee
Socastee's student/teacher ratio is 15.6:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 21.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Socastee (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 10,377 students · in-state tuition $11,640 · 53% graduate · median earnings $54,702 (10 yrs after entry)
Galen Health Institutes-Myrtle Beach
9.9 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, 72 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Socastee
Socastee has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Moores Creek National Battlefield (72 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Moores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
72 mi awayCharles Pinckney National Historic Site
National Historic Site
76 mi awayFort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
National Historical Park
83 mi awayPublic Libraries in Socastee
Socastee Library
141-707 Connector Rd, Myrtle Beach
Cities Near Socastee
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Socastee?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Socastee FAQ
Is Socastee, South Carolina affordable?⌄
Socastee's median rent is $1,246/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $62,257/year. Median home value is $234,200.
Is Socastee, South Carolina safe?⌄
Socastee 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 Socastee, South Carolina?⌄
Horry County, which includes Socastee, has an unemployment rate of 5.2%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Socastee, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Socastee is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,246/month and median household income is $62,257/year. The median home value is $234,200. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Socastee, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Socastee is 21 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