Panorama of the Myrtle Beach Beachfront 3 (cropped) · DiscoA340 / CC BY-SA 4.0BroadwayAtTheBeach1 · w:User:Isipeoria / CC BY-SA 3.0SkyWheel Myrtle Beach in August 2022 (cropped) · DiscoA340 / CC BY-SA 4.0Hollywood Wax Museum - Myrtle Beach SC · Momwriter / CC BY-SA 4.0
Myrtle Beach is a small city of 36,064 in South Carolina, with a median household income of $50,558
and a 4.2% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is
2% below the national average.
Strengths:
Myrtle Beach stands out for solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index. Whether Myrtle Beach is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Myrtle Beach 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: 97.7
Myrtle Beach's overall cost of living index is 97.7,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Myrtle Beach costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.
Metric
Myrtle Beach, SC
National Avg
Median Home Value
$287,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,093
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
60.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$50,558
$74,755
Crime & Safety
High Crime
Myrtle Beach's violent crime rate is 1111.6 per 100,000 residents
— 193% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
1111.6 /100k
Property Crime
5655.5 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Myrtle Beach is served primarily by Horry 01.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.5:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Myrtle Beach, 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
32.2%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
91.8%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Myrtle Beach sees average highs of 55.5°F in January
and 87.4°F in July,
with 53.6 inches of annual precipitation
and 0.5 inches of snow per year.
Myrtle Beach's cost of living index is 98, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Myrtle Beach roughly 2% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $287,900 and median rent is $1,093/month.
Myrtle Beach's violent crime rate is 1111.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 5655.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Myrtle Beach 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. 32.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Myrtle Beach, SC has a population of 36,064, a median household income of $50,558, and an unemployment rate of 4.2%.
Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Myrtle Beach averages 55.5°F in January and 87.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 53.6 inches
with about 0.5 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Myrtle Beach, SC is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 29577, 29572.
The population of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is 36,064 with a median age of 47.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Myrtle Beach: cost of living index 98 (100 = US average), median home $287,900, median household income $50,558, crime index 283 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Myrtle Beach side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
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