Horry County, South Carolina Demographics 2026

Name: Horry County, South Carolina Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Horry County, South Carolina has a population of 383,016, the 4th most populous county in South Carolina. The median household income is $66,880 and the median home value is $287,700. The poverty rate is 13.2%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Horry County Quick Facts

Population 383,016

Median Household Income $66,880

Median Home Value $287,700

Poverty Rate 13.2%

Unemployment Rate 4.9%

Median Age 48.7 years

Homeownership Rate 77.3%

Affordability Ratio 4.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 27.2%

High School Graduation 91.9%

Cities/Places 20

Population 383,016 4th of 46

Median Income $66,880 4% lower than state

Poverty Rate 13.2%

Unemployment 4.9%

How Horry County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	368,937	383,016	+3.8%
Median household income	$64,623	$66,880	+3.5%
Median home value	$260,500	$287,700	+10.4%

Median Household Income

Horry

$66,880

$69,324

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Horry

$287,700

$259,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 16.0%

$25K-$50K 21.5%

$50K-$100K 32.4%

$100K+ 30.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.2%

$10K-$15K

3.3%

$15K-$20K

3.3%

$20K-$25K

4.2%

$25K-$30K

4.6%

$30K-$35K

3.7%

$35K-$40K

4.4%

$40K-$45K

4.7%

$45K-$50K

4.1%

$50K-$60K

8.0%

$60K-$75K

10.1%

$75K-$100K

14.3%

$100K-$125K

10.6%

$125K-$150K

6.2%

$150K-$200K

6.8%

$200K+

6.6%

Employment

4.9% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

53.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 77.3%

Renter 22.7%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,255/mo 22.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

17.0%

18-34

18.2%

35-54

22.5%

55-74

33.0%

75+

9.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 55 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Horry County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Myrtle Beach	38,371	$60,394	19.0%	$388,800
Conway	27,263	$56,650	21.0%	$260,900
Carolina Forest	26,263	$74,436	13.0%	$336,800
Socastee	23,796	$62,257	12.6%	$234,200
North Myrtle Beach	19,855	$72,722	7.4%	$416,900
Red Hill	15,920	$68,250	19.1%	$249,500
Little River	11,771	$65,786	12.7%	$305,800
Garden City	11,591	$47,249	17.7%	$217,400
Forestbrook	7,479	$81,286	6.8%	$335,800
Surfside Beach	4,270	$70,106	16.8%	$450,100
Homewood	2,708	$64,659	21.4%	N/A
Loris	2,645	$36,899	23.0%	$214,300
Aynor	1,112	$73,984	9.6%	$255,700
Bucksport	747	N/A	15.8%	$186,300
Briarcliffe Acres	448	$156,250	9.4%	$760,600
Finklea	340	N/A	4.7%	$110,100
Atlantic Beach	237	$33,500	29.5%	$385,000
Green Sea	71	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Ketchuptown	45	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Live Oak	22	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore South Carolina Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Horry County is located in South Carolina with a total population of 383,016. It is the 4th most populous county out of 46 in South Carolina. The county encompasses 20 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Horry County is 48.7 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Horry County is $66,880. This is 4% lower than the state median of $69,324. It is also 17% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.2%. This is 6% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. The median home value is $287,700. Housing costs are 11% higher than the state median of $259,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.3x. 77.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 71.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Horry County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 75.5% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 11.6%. The Black or African American population (11.6%) is well below the state average of 24.6%.

Education

27.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 15% 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 91.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Horry County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against South Carolina and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Horry County, South Carolina?

Horry County has a population of 383,016, making it the 4th most populous county in South Carolina.

What is the median income in Horry County?

The median household income in Horry County is $66,880 with a poverty rate of 13.2%.

How many cities are in Horry County, South Carolina?

Horry County contains 20 Census-designated places.