North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

North Myrtle Beach is a small city located in South Carolina, within Horry County. The total population is 19,855. It ranks as the 32nd most populous out of 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in North Myrtle Beach is 61.9 years. This is 54% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. Only 10.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 14.6% 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 North Myrtle Beach is $72,722. This is 5% higher than the state median of $69,324. It is also 10% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.4%. This is 48% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. The unemployment rate is 4.0%. This is 18% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $416,900. Housing costs are 61% higher than the state median of $259,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.7x. 82.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 71.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

North Myrtle Beach has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.7%. The Black or African American population (2.9%) is well below the state average of 24.6%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 1.8%.

Education

39.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 24% higher 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 94.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for North Myrtle Beach, 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.