Garden City, South Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Garden City is a small city located in South Carolina, within Horry County. The total population is 11,591. It ranks as the 57th most populous out of 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Garden City is 62.2 years. This is 55% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. Only 5.6% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 18.7% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Garden City is $47,249. This is 32% lower than the state median of $69,324. It is also 41% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.7%. This is 26% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. The unemployment rate is 5.1%. This is 4% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $217,400. Housing costs are 16% lower than the state median of $259,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.6x. 85.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 71.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Garden City has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.5% vs 61.9%). The Black or African American population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 24.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.8%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 1.8%.

Education

22.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 31% lower than the state rate of 32.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Garden City, South Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against South Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.