What are the schools like in Garden City, SC?

Garden City is served primarily by Horry 01. The district operates 30 elementary schools, 13 middle schools, and 14 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 14.5:1.

What is the median household income in Garden City?

The median household income in Garden City, SC is $51,781 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 2.5%.

What is the weather like in Garden City, SC?

Garden City has an average high temperature of 56.8°F in January and 88.4°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 53.2 inches and annual snowfall averages 0.5 inches.

Garden City, SC Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Garden City, SC affordable or expensive?

Garden City's cost of living index is 97, where 100 represents the national average. This means Garden City is 3% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $172,900 and the median rent is $1,323 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Garden City, SC?

Garden City has a violent crime rate of 423.9 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2341.0 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Garden City, SC a Good Place to Live?

Garden City is a small city of 10,885 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $51,781 and a 2.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.

Strengths: Garden City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Garden City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Garden City city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 96.8

Garden City's overall cost of living index is 96.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Garden City costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.

Metric	Garden City, SC	National Avg
Median Home Value	$172,900	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,323	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	80.7%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$51,781	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Garden City's violent crime rate is 423.9 per 100,000 residents — 12% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

423.9 /100k

Property Crime

2341.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Garden City is served primarily by Horry 01. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Garden City, SC	National Avg
School District	Horry 01	—
Elementary Schools	30	—
Middle Schools	13	—
High Schools	14	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	14.5:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	24.4%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	94.1%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Garden City sees average highs of 56.8°F in January and 88.4°F in July, with 53.2 inches of annual precipitation and 0.5 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Garden City, SC
Average High — January	56.8°F
Average High — July	88.4°F
Annual Precipitation	53.2"
Annual Snowfall	0.5"

Demographics

Metric	Garden City, SC	National Avg
Population	10,885	—
Median Age	60.7	38.9
Unemployment Rate	2.5%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	22.0 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	93.7%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.8%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	1.4%	18.9%
Asian	0.8%	6.3%
Under 18	9.7%	22.2%
65 and over	38.3%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Surfside Beach, SC 2 mi Murrells Inlet, SC 4 mi Socastee, SC 7 mi Bucksport, SC 8 mi Forestbrook, SC 9 mi

Garden City vs Other Cities

Garden City, SC vs Surfside Beach, SC Garden City, SC vs Murrells Inlet, SC Garden City, SC vs Socastee, SC Garden City, SC vs Bucksport, SC Garden City, SC vs Forestbrook, SC

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Garden City, SC affordable or expensive?

Garden City's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average. That makes Garden City roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $172,900 and median rent is $1,323/month.

What is the crime rate in Garden City, SC?

Garden City's violent crime rate is 423.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2341.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Garden City?

Public schools in Garden City are operated by Horry 01. The district has 30 elementary, 13 middle, and 14 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.5:1. 24.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Garden City, SC a good place to live?

Garden City, SC has a population of 10,885, a median household income of $51,781, and an unemployment rate of 2.5%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Garden City?

Garden City averages 56.8°F in January and 88.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 53.2 inches with about 0.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What is the population of Garden City?

The population of Garden City, South Carolina is 10,885 with a median age of 60.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Garden City?

Key numbers for living in Garden City: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $172,900, median household income $51,781, crime index 112 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Garden City side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.