City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Myrtle Beach, SC

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

37,214
Residents
$53,679
Median income
$347,700
Median home
$1,465
Median rent (state)

Myrtle Beach - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Myrtle Beach places in the 25th percentile for household income and the 1st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

25th
percentile, household income
72nd
percentile, home value
57th
percentile, median rent
1st
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: Myrtle Beach, SC

South Carolina's Myrtle Beach is a small city, with 37,214 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Myrtle Beach brings in $53,679 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.8%. Typical homes in Myrtle Beach are valued around $347,700, and the median resident age is 47.0 years. 34.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 56.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 198 residential building permits were authorized in Myrtle Beach (Construction Slowdown), down 62% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Myrtle Beach's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 6767.1 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 62.4°F with 53.6 inches of precipitation per year.

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. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in South Carolina run around $224, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 16.2 minutes, with 72.5% driving alone and 12.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 98.2 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

37,214 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$53,679 /yr

Poverty 11.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Myrtle Beach compare to other US cities?

Myrtle Beach measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 25% higher than other cities
Home value 72% pricier than other cities
Median rent 57% pricier than other cities
Safety 1% 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, Myrtle Beach ranks #115 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 Myrtle 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 is Myrtle Beach's strongest outlier among South Carolina cities

Among the 404 South Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Myrtle Beach ranks #41 - the 90th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Myrtle Beach only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#183 of 403
55th percentile in South Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#66 of 441
82nd percentile in South Carolina
Median Home Value
#41 of 404
90th percentile in South Carolina
Poverty Rate
#232 of 439
47th percentile in South Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#78 of 441
82nd 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.

25thIncome percentile
1stSafety percentile

25th percentile nationally for median household income · 1st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Myrtle Beach's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Myrtle 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 21 Avg. percentile National median
Myrtle 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 Myrtle Beach's home value compares nationally

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

$347,700 28th percentile more affordable than 28% 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. Myrtle 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 - Myrtle Beach, SC Myrtle Beach, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Myrtle 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 Myrtle Beach, SC median $53,679/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%
Myrtle 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 Myrtle Beach, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.9%

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

Population
37,214
Median Income
$53,679
Median Home Value
$347,700
Median Age
47.0
Poverty Rate
11.8%
Labor force participation
56.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
6767.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1111.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
5655.5
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
62.4°F
Annual Precipitation
53.6"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
25
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
34,000 residents36,000 residents38,000 residents40,000 residents42,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 35,972 residents 40,937 residents ▲ +13.8%
Myrtle Beach's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
198
housing units authorized
Single-Family
198
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 525
2020 505
2021 691
2022 716
2023 346
2024 198

Permit volume decreased 62% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.2 minutes
Drive Alone
72.5%
Carpool
7.6%
Public Transit
2.4%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
12.5%
Other
2.5%

Based on 17,673 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 Myrtle 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

Hilton Head Island
37,805 people
Spartanburg
38,578 people
Greer
39,191 people
Florence
40,205 people
Aiken
32,334 people
Sumter
43,065 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Myrtle Beach's 37,214 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Muskegon, MI
37,203 people
Cedar City, UT
37,202 people
Leavenworth, KS
37,176 people
Midlothian, TX
37,256 people
Estero, FL
37,258 people
Tooele, UT
37,265 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Myrtle Beach's $53,679 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Fredericktown, MO
$53,681 median income
Deer Lodge, MT
$53,676 median income
Osakis, MN
$53,684 median income
Los Alamos, CA
$53,673 median income
Hidalgo, TX
$53,667 median income
Eddystone, PA
$53,665 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Myrtle 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 Myrtle Beach, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 69.9% 14.4% 13.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.6% White 69.9% Black or African American 14.4% Asian 1.1% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 13.0% 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 Myrtle 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
Myrtle Beach (this city) 37,214 $53,679
Hilton Head Island 37,805 $96,715
Spartanburg 38,578 $51,193
Greer 39,191 $80,030
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Myrtle Beach, SC?

What is the population of Myrtle Beach, SC? +

The population of Myrtle Beach, SC stands at 37,214 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Myrtle Beach, the typical household earns $53,679 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Myrtle Beach? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Myrtle 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 Myrtle Beach, SC safe? +

Myrtle Beach has a total crime rate of 6767.1 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 Myrtle Beach, SC? +

A typical home in Myrtle Beach is worth $347,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Myrtle Beach? +

The average annual temperature in Myrtle Beach runs 62.4°F, 53.6 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, 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.