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Surfside Beach, SC

Full City Profile · South Carolina · Horry County County

3.2 /5.0
B Good
4,217 Population 2,163/sq mi density
$74,202 Median Income $43,610 per capita
$412,100 Home Value $347,773 Zillow
$1,274 Median Rent 30.8% income on rent
62°F Avg Temperature 304 sunny days/yr
167 Violent Crime/100K 5,276 property/100K
B
Overall
3.2 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.0 / 5.0
$74,202 median income, 3.7% unemployment
B+
Affordability
3.5 / 5.0
$412,100 home value, $1,274/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
167 violent crimes/100K
A
Education
4.2 / 5.0
40.4% bachelor's degree or higher

Surfside Beach, SC

At a Glance

Median Income
$74,202
1% below
$43,610 per capita
Home Value
$412,100
46% above
Zillow: $347,773
Median Rent
$1,274/mo
10% above
30.8% of income on rent
Violent Crime
167/100K
56% below
5,276/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
40.4%
20% above
98.1% high school+
Unemployment
3.7%
3% above
10.1% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
29.4%
8% below
12.5% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
62°F
304 sunny days/yr

How Surfside Beach Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Surfside Beach's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
99%
Home Value
146%
Rent
110%
Poverty
81%
Bachelor's
120%
Unemployment
103%
Crime
44%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Surfside Beach a Good Place to Live?

B
3.2 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Surfside Beach residents earn a median household income of $74,202 , which is 1% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $43,610. The unemployment rate stands at 3.7% (3% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 10.1% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 12,484 business establishments, including 1,398 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Surfside Beach is $412,100 , 46% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $347,773. Median rent is $1,274/month, with 30.8% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 93.7 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1987.

Safety & Crime

Surfside Beach reports 167 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 56% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 5,276/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

40.4% of adults in Surfside Beach hold a bachelor's degree or higher (20% above the national average). 98.1% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.7/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Surfside Beach has an average annual temperature of 62°F (17°C). Winters average 45°F in January while summers reach 80°F in July. The area gets 304 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 53.6 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 43.

Data Overview

People

Population4,217
Median Age55.4 yrs
Density2,163/mi²
Male / Female55% / 46%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans11.4%

Economy

A
Median Income$74,202
Per Capita$43,610
Unemployment3.7%
Poverty10.1%
County GDP$22,774M
Avg Weekly Wage$924

Housing

B+
Home Value$412,100
Rent$1,274
Ownership65.0%
Zillow$347,773
Housing Units4,267
Rent Burden30.8%

Crime

F
Violent167/100K
Property5,276/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault72/100K
Burglary1,361/100K

Health

Obesity29.4%
Diabetes8.9%
Smoking12.5%
Heart Disease4.8%
Premature Death11,747/100K

Climate

Avg Temp62°F
Sunny Days304/yr
Rain53.6 in/yr
AQI43 (Good)
Elevation17 ft

Education

A
Bachelor's+40.4%
High School+98.1%
Graduate+15.3%
School Score5.7/10

Community

2024 VoteR 69% / D 30%
Commute20 min
Broadband90.9%
Internet Speed198 Mbps
EV Stations2
Libraries12

Did You Know?

The median home in Surfside Beach was built in 1987.
The nearest airport is Myrtle Beach International (6 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.448 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively High" by FEMA.
19.0% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 198 Mbps.
There are 1,398 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 78 fatal vehicle crashes.