City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Surfside Beach, SC

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

4,217
Residents
$74,202
Median income
$412,100
Median home
$1,465
Median rent (state)

Surfside Beach - the verdict

Surfside Beach ranks in the 55th percentile for household income and the 30th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

55th
percentile, household income
78th
percentile, home value
57th
percentile, median rent
30th
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: Surfside Beach, SC

South Carolina's Surfside Beach is a small town, with 4,217 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Surfside Beach brings in $74,202 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.1%. Typical homes in Surfside Beach are valued around $412,100, and the median resident age is 55.4 years. 40.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 47.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 17 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Slowing), down 15% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2079.1 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in South Carolina run below the national norm: the state registers 93.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,465 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts South Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $224 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 98.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

4,217 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$74,202 /yr

Poverty 10.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Surfside Beach compare to other US cities?

Where Surfside Beach sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 55% higher than other cities
Home value 78% pricier than other cities
Median rent 57% pricier than other cities
Safety 30% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at South Carolina, Surfside Beach ranks #44 of 127 South Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Surfside 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 Surfside Beach's strongest outlier among South Carolina cities

Among the 404 South Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Surfside Beach ranks #31 - the 92nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Surfside Beach only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#86 of 403
79th percentile in South Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#66 of 441
82nd percentile in South Carolina
Median Home Value
#31 of 404
92nd percentile in South Carolina
Poverty Rate
#255 of 439
41st percentile in South Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#58 of 441
87th 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.

55thIncome percentile
30thSafety percentile

55th percentile nationally for median household income · 30th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Surfside Beach's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Surfside 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 39 Avg. percentile National median
Surfside 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 Surfside Beach's home value compares nationally

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

$412,100 22nd percentile more affordable than 22% 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%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Surfside 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 - Surfside Beach, SC Surfside Beach, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Surfside 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 Surfside Beach, SC median $74,202/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%
Surfside 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 Surfside Beach, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 40.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 47.4%

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

Population
4,217
Median Income
$74,202
Median Home Value
$412,100
Median Age
55.4
Poverty Rate
10.1%
Labor force participation
47.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
40.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2079.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
228.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1850.6
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 →
4,100 residents4,200 residents4,300 residents4,400 residents4,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,162 residents 4,392 residents ▲ +5.5%
Surfside Beach's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
17
housing units authorized
Single-Family
17
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 20
2020 27
2021 32
2022 28
2023 17
2024 17

Permit volume decreased 15% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.3%
Carpool
8.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
13.5%
Other
7.4%

Based on 1,839 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 Surfside 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

East Camden
4,210 people
Duncan
4,175 people
Capitol View
4,161 people
Newport
4,142 people
Saxon
4,139 people
Walhalla
4,121 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Surfside Beach's 4,217 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lyons, GA
4,217 people
Mirrormont, WA
4,217 people
Cannon Falls, MN
4,216 people
Watertown, CT
4,215 people
DeMotte, IN
4,219 people
Broken Bow, OK
4,215 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Surfside Beach's $74,202 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Four Corners, FL
$74,202 median income
Villas, NJ
$74,203 median income
Walker Mill, MD
$74,200 median income
Belle, WV
$74,200 median income
Plainfield, PA
$74,205 median income
Middle River, MD
$74,198 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Surfside 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 Surfside Beach, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 91.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.4% White 91.9% Black or African American 1.6% Asian 0.8% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 5.2% 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 Surfside 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
Surfside Beach (this city) 4,217 $74,202
East Camden 4,210 $53,234
Duncan 4,175 $51,596
Capitol View 4,161 $47,054
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Surfside Beach, SC?

What is the population of Surfside Beach, SC? +

The population of Surfside Beach, SC stands at 4,217 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Surfside Beach, the typical household earns $74,202 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Surfside Beach? +

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

Surfside Beach has a total crime rate of 2079.1 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Surfside Beach, SC? +

Surfside Beach's median home value sits at $412,100, 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.