Population 383,016 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Horry County
Household size in Horry County
| Period | Horry County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.33 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.44 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Horry County run small, averaging 2.44 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has climbed from 2.33 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Horry County
| Period | Horry County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.3 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.0 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.9 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.3 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Horry County skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.6, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few South Carolina counties are older: only four of 46.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Horry County
| Period | Horry County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Horry County (10.2%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Horry County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of South Carolina counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Horry County
Renters in Horry County
| Period | Horry County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.0% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.7% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.2% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.7% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.7% of households in Horry County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. More than four in ten owners (44.4%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 6.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Horry County
| Period | Horry County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.1% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.1% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 23.1% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.5% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.6 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 17.5% of the housing in Horry County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is down 7.6 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Horry County
| Period | Horry County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1991 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1993 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1994 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1999 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Horry County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1999, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1991 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the west has the oldest housing. Few South Carolina counties have newer homes: only two of 46.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Horry County
| Period | Horry County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $840 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $873 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,003 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,345 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$505 | +$514 | +$606 |
The median renter in Horry County pays $1,345 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $505 a month from 2006–10, a 60% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 31.6% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Horry County
Bachelor's degrees in Horry County
| Period | Horry County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.0% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.1% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.7% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.1% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Horry County than nationally: 27.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 5.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the west.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Horry County
| Period | Horry County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.2% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.0% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.8% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.8% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Horry County have finished high school (91.8%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Horry County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of South Carolina counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Horry County
| Period | Horry County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Horry County is close to the national rate: 4.7% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.9 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Horry County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horry County | 2.44 | 47.9 | 10.2% | 22.7% | 17.5% | 1999 | $1,345 | 27.1% | 91.8% | 4.7% |
| Williamsburg County | 2.39 | 43.7 | 12.1% | 23.6% | 16.5% | 1984 | $760 | 18.5% | 86.1% | 4.1% |
| Clarendon County | 2.45 | 46.9 | 11.9% | 27.1% | 20.5% | 1988 | $780 | 18.0% | 84.1% | 5.8% |
| Calhoun County | 2.30 | 46.4 | 11.0% | 15.0% | 11.3% | 1987 | $1,033 | 24.4% | 87.1% | 6.3% |
| Edgefield County | 2.68 | 41.7 | 14.3% | 19.9% | 16.4% | 1988 | $888 | 24.0% | 84.5% | 7.8% |
| McCormick County | 2.09 | 57.8 | 7.7% | 12.1% | 24.7% | 1987 | $1,152 | 25.1% | 86.9% | 5.2% |
| Lincoln County | 2.61 | 46.4 | 11.7% | 23.4% | 31.7% | 1983 | $836 | 15.5% | 88.1% | 2.9% |
| Wilkes County | 2.34 | 45.8 | 11.2% | 33.9% | 20.9% | 1980 | $780 | 16.8% | 82.5% | 1.7% |
| Oconee County | 2.91 | 41.4 | 6.6% | 18.7% | 5.4% | 1999 | $1,568 | 57.1% | 96.5% | 2.7% |
| Morgan County | 2.60 | 43.9 | 9.3% | 21.8% | 8.7% | 1992 | $1,317 | 29.7% | 91.6% | 2.3% |
| Walton County | 2.90 | 39.9 | 10.4% | 20.7% | 5.0% | 1995 | $1,475 | 24.1% | 87.4% | 5.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Loudoun County, VA · St. Clair County, IL · St. Johns County, FL · Marion County, OR · Marion County, FL · St. Joseph County, IN · St. Louis City, MO · St. Lucie County, FL · Madison County, AL · St. Tammany Parish, LA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Horry County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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