City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Atlantic Beach, SC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Atlantic Beach - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

283
Residents
$40,000
Median income
$342,100
Median home
$1,465
Median rent (state)

Atlantic Beach - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Atlantic Beach places in the 8th percentile for household income and the 2nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

8th
percentile, household income
71st
percentile, home value
57th
percentile, median rent
2nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Atlantic Beach, SC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 283 residents in Atlantic Beach, a small town within South Carolina. Median household income here is $40,000 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 19.5%. Home values in Atlantic Beach run a median of $342,100, and the median resident age is 42.2 years. About 16.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 65.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 60 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 100% from five years earlier. Atlantic Beach's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 6046.5 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in South Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, South Carolina scores 93.7 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,465 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $224 across South Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 98.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

283 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$40,000 /yr

Poverty 19.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Atlantic Beach compare to other US cities?

Here's how Atlantic Beach stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 8% higher than other cities
Home value 71% pricier than other cities
Median rent 57% pricier than other cities
Safety 2% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to South Carolina alone, Atlantic Beach ranks #106 of 127 South Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Atlantic Beach against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to South Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

South Carolina-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Atlantic Beach toward the top of South Carolina's cities

Among the 404 South Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Atlantic Beach ranks #43 - the 89th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Atlantic Beach only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#298 of 403
26th percentile in South Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#66 of 441
82nd percentile in South Carolina
Median Home Value
#43 of 404
89th percentile in South Carolina
Poverty Rate
#137 of 439
68th percentile in South Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#259 of 441
41st percentile in South Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within South Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

8thIncome percentile
2ndSafety percentile

8th percentile nationally for median household income · 2nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Atlantic Beach's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Atlantic Beach's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 15 Avg. percentile National median
Atlantic Beach's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Atlantic Beach's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$342,100 29th percentile more affordable than 29% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Atlantic Beach $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Atlantic Beach, SC Atlantic Beach, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Atlantic Beach, SC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Atlantic Beach, SC median $40,000/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Atlantic Beach, SC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Atlantic Beach, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 16.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
283
Median Income
$40,000
Median Home Value
$342,100
Median Age
42.2
Poverty Rate
19.5%
Labor force participation
65.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
16.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
6046.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
2093.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3953.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
100 residents200 residents300 residents400 residents500 residents 202020212022202320242025 201 residents 472 residents ▲ +134.8%
Atlantic Beach's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
60
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
60
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
212
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 30
2020 35
2021 60
2022 81
2023 71
2024 60

Permit volume increased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.4%
Carpool
7.0%
Public Transit
7.0%
Walk
4.2%
Work from Home
6.3%
Other
5.1%

Based on 142 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for South Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$52
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$224
estimated/month

Estimates reflect South Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a South Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Atlantic Beach sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,465/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Carolina

Buford
283 people
Snelling
283 people
Ward
284 people
Norway
279 people
Russellville
273 people
Reevesville
295 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Atlantic Beach's 283 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sipsey, AL
283 people
Carrizo, AZ
283 people
Lead Hill, AR
283 people
Red Cliff, CO
283 people
Siloam, GA
283 people
Oakdale, IL
283 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Atlantic Beach's $40,000 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Rock Point, AZ
$40,000 median income
Winkelman, AZ
$40,000 median income
Ovid, CO
$40,000 median income
Attapulgus, GA
$40,000 median income
Wamac, IL
$40,000 median income
Bonaparte, IA
$40,000 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Atlantic Beach, SC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Atlantic Beach, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 26.5% 64.7% 8.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 15.6% White 26.5% Black or African American 64.7% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 8.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Atlantic Beach compares to nearby South Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Atlantic Beach (this city) 283 $40,000
Buford 283 $77,639
Snelling 283 $41,042
Ward 284 $55,625
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Atlantic Beach, SC?

What is the population of Atlantic Beach, SC? +

Atlantic Beach, SC has a population of 283 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Atlantic Beach, SC? +

The median household income in Atlantic Beach is $40,000 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Atlantic Beach? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Atlantic Beach; the closest available measure is the South Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 93.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within South Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Atlantic Beach, SC safe? +

Atlantic Beach has a total crime rate of 6046.5 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Atlantic Beach, SC? +

A typical home in Atlantic Beach is worth $342,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.