Surfside Beach, South Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Surfside Beach is a small community located in South Carolina, within Horry County. The total population is 4,270. It ranks as the 115th most populous out of 474 Census-designated places in South Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Surfside Beach is 55.5 years. This is 38% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. Only 12.0% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Surfside Beach is $70,106. This is 1% higher than the state median of $69,324. It is also 13% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.8%. This is 19% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.1%. The unemployment rate is 8.6%. This is 75% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $450,100. Housing costs are 74% higher than the state median of $259,000. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.4x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 67.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% lower than the state average of 71.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Surfside Beach has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.3% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 1.5%. The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 24.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 1.8%.

Education

39.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 23% 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 96.6%. Notably, 17.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Surfside 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.