Town · South Carolina
Atlantic Beach, South Carolina
Atlantic Beach, town, in Horry County, South Carolina. Atlantic Beach had 472 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 142.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 195 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 237 (±104). GEOID 4503205.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
472
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 195 · ACS 2020-2024: 237 ±104
Median household income
$33,500
±$17,043 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $69,324
Median home value
$385,000
±$139,509 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $259,000
Median gross rent
$1,083
±$451 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $1,180
Where is Atlantic Beach and what county is it in?
Atlantic Beach is a town in Horry County, South Carolina. It covers 0.2 square miles of land, 1,204 residents per square mile in 2020.
Atlantic Beach is in the Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Atlantic Beach, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 472 people lived in Atlantic Beach on July 1, 2025, up 142.1% since 2020, faster than South Carolina (+8.8%). The 2020 Census counted 195 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 237 (±104).
The yearly series starts from the Census Bureau's July 2020 estimate, 201, which differs from its April 2020 base of 195 (in 2020 the estimates dipped in many college and military towns), so the first step is large; the change since 2020 above is measured from the April base.
| Measure | Atlantic Beach | Horry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 237 ±104 | 383,016 | no clear change |
| Households | 116 ±47 | 158,779 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.04 ±0.49 | 2.37 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 262 ±59 | 217,419 | no clear change |
Atlantic Beach's population since 2000
From 351 in 2000 to 472 in 2025: up 34.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Atlantic Beach as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Atlantic Beach?
The median resident of Atlantic Beach is 41.5 years old. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 60.3%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 26.2%.
| Measure | Atlantic Beach | Horry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.5 ±11.2 | 48.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.4% ±12.6 pts | 17.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.3% ±12.8 pts | 26.4% | – |
| Male | 48.1% ±15.7 pts | 48.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.8% ±13.7 pts | 7.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 26.2% ±16.9 pts | 75.5% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 60.3% ±19.3 pts | 11.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±17.2 pts | 1.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±17.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±17.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±2.4 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±1.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 23.2% ±18.9 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 21.1% ±18.9 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.9% ±5.2 pts | 8.9% | – |
| With a disability | 6.3% ±5.2 pts | 18.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 35.4% ±17.0 pts | 11.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.9% ±4.3 pts | 91.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 21.1% ±10.1 pts | 27.1% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.6% ±5.9 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 74.1% ±17.9 pts | 87.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 8.2% ±8.2 pts | 5.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Atlantic Beach earn?
Half of Atlantic Beach's 116 households earn less than $33,500 a year (±$17,043), against $66,880 in Horry County and $69,324 in South Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $52,612 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Atlantic Beach | Horry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $33,500 ±$17,043 | $66,880 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $44,365 ±$9,896 | $87,740 | – |
| Per capita income | $22,551 ±$7,087 | $38,025 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 29.5% ±20.2 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 52.8% ±46.0 pts | 21.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.6% ±3.4 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.5% ±9.3 pts | 96.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.1% ±10.2 pts | 92.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Atlantic Beach?
Owners occupy 23.3% of Atlantic Beach's occupied homes and renters 76.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $385,000 by its owner (±$139,509). The median renter pays $1,083 a month including utilities, and 61.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Atlantic Beach | Horry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $385,000 ±$139,509 | $287,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,083 ±$451 | $1,255 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 61.9% ±25.7 pts | 43.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,542 ±$537 | $1,446 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 23.3% ±12.4 pts | 77.3% | −27.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 76.7% ±12.4 pts | 22.7% | – |
| Housing units | 262 ±59 | 217,419 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 10.0% ±21.7 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 29.4% ±15.2 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 44.3% ±11.5 pts | 53.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.2% ±4.6 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±1.1 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.4% ±3.5 pts | 19.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.0% ±15.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 27.6% ±16.7 pts | 4.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Atlantic Beach building?
Builders took permits for 65 new housing units in Atlantic Beach in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 137.7 per 1,000 residents against 8.2 across South Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Atlantic Beach work and get to work?
49.1% of Atlantic Beach's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 18.2 minutes.
| Measure | Atlantic Beach | Horry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.3% ±12.8 pts | 53.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% ±7.6 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 49.1% ±25.5 pts | 76.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 15.8% ±20.7 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 7.9% ±14.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 5.3% ±7.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.3% ±4.4 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.2 min ±7.8 | 23.1 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Atlantic Beach?
No census tract lies mostly in Atlantic Beach; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 405Horry County | 4,091 | $49,353 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Atlantic Beach) · Census block assignment files
How does Atlantic Beach compare with other places in South Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Atlantic Beach is the 13,433rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 192nd-most populous of 271 in South Carolina.
Atlantic Beach is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 192nd | 271 |
Atlantic Beach's figures with every place in South Carolina (CSV)
Every place in South Carolina, sortable · Compare Atlantic Beach with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Atlantic Beach?
27 of the 57 figures for Atlantic Beach on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Atlantic Beach are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Atlantic Beach.