Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Population 2023

39,162

Myrtle Beach is a city located in Horry County South Carolina. With a 2023 population of 39,162, it is the 13th largest city in South Carolina and the 1014th largest city in the United States.Myrtle Beach is currently growing at a rate of 2.74% annually and its population has increased by 8.45% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 36,110 in 2020. Spanning over 24 miles, Myrtle Beach has a population density of 1,662 people per square mile.

The average household income in Myrtle Beach is $70,369 with a poverty rate of 27.04%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Myrtle Beach is 44.4 years, 42 years for males, and 45.6 years for females.

Myrtle Beach is the center of the Grand Strand area, a stretch of beach that is one of the top tourist destinations in the state. However, an estimated 14 million people visit this beautiful beach city every year.

Myrtle Beach Population Statistics and Economy

The city’s economy revolves around the tourism industry. Hotels, resorts, and almost 100 golf courses are just a few of the things that fuel this city’s economy. Manufacturing is also an important industry, producing such products as foam, plastic, rubber, and ceramic.

Myrtle Beach Population Growth

Since the first census taken in 1940, the city of Myrtle Beach has primarily seen growth every ten years. The population jumped significantly from 1970 to 1980, rising from over 8,500 to over 18,000. The city did see a decline at the time of the 2000 census, dropping by over 8%.

However, the population was on the rise again at the time of the 2010 census. The census grew by over 19% between 2000 and 2010 to over 27,000. The population has already increased by almost 19% since the last count, according to recent estimates. Looking at this data show that this city is only going to continue to get more significant in terms of its population.

The Waccamaw Tribe were the earliest inhabitants of Myrtle Beach. The first Europeans did not arrive until the late 18th century. Unfortunately, there are not many records of this time period, so the actual history had to be pieced together using land grant documents.

Early settlers grew indigo and tobacco. However, the sandy soil resulted in few crops that were of much lower quality than crops grown in other areas. What is now known as the Grand Strand was mostly unsettled before the American Revolution. Once colonies began to gain their independence, the area still remained unsettled.

Growth began in the last 1800s with the arrival of the railroad, which transported timber from the coast to inland cities. Lumber and railroad workers would travel to the local beaches when not at work, marking the early beginnings of Myrtle Beach as a tourist spot. At the beginning of the 20th century, the idea formed to make the region a tourist destination. The area was named in 1900, and the name is based on the Southern Wax Myrtle, which grows in the region. Myrtle Beach was incorporated in 1938 as a town. It gained status as a city in 1957.

Throughout the years, the city has become a popular spot for tourists from all over the state, nation and worldwide. Approximately 14 million tourists visit Myrtle Beach each year. The city’s beach is lined with hotels, resorts, restaurants and other attractions including shopping centers and amusement parks. The city is a popular spot for special conventions and events. It is also a popular destination for cyclists who attend motorcycle rallies annually.

Myrtle Beach Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Myrtle Beach was:

  • White: 73.38%
  • Black or African American: 16.07%
  • Two or more races: 5.41%
  • Other race: 2.85%
  • Asian: 2%
  • Native American: 0.29%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0%
The current population of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is 39,162 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 36,110.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Population 2023

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Myrtle Beach Metro Area Population by Year

Population by Race

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White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Myrtle Beach Population by Race

Myrtle Beach Population Pyramid 2023

Myrtle Beach Median Age

44.4

Total

42

Male

45.6

Female

Myrtle Beach Adults

There are 26,830 adults, (7,037 of whom are seniors) in Myrtle Beach.

Myrtle Beach Age Dependency

69.9

Age Dependency Ratio

35.6

Old Age Dependency Ratio

34.4

Child Dependency Ratio

Myrtle Beach Sex Ratio

Female17,42651.8%
Male16,21248.2%

Myrtle Beach Population by Age

Myrtle Beach Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.1

Average Family Size

2.36

Average Household Size

56.8%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Myrtle Beach Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Myrtle Beach Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Myrtle Beach Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 87.35%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 33.61%.

Myrtle Beach Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$27,777

Average Earnings

$31,091

Average Male

$24,905

Average Female

Myrtle Beach Earnings by Educational Attainment

Myrtle Beach Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Myrtle Beach Language

84.11% of Myrtle Beach residents speak only English, while 15.89% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 10.68% of the population.

Myrtle Beach Language

Myrtle Beach Poverty by Race

rate

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27.04%

Overall Poverty Rate

22.21%

Male Poverty Rate

22.59%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Myrtle Beach

The race most likely to be in poverty in Myrtle Beach is Other, with 110.49% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Myrtle Beach is White, with 14.83% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 9.02%. Among those working part-time, it was 21.9%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 22.54%.

Myrtle Beach Poverty

rate

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Myrtle Beach Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Myrtle Beach Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Myrtle Beach Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Myrtle Beach Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

45.6%

Overall Marriage Rate

49.8%

Male Marriage Rate

41.7%

Female Marriage Rate

Myrtle Beach Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Myrtle Beach Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Myrtle Beach Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Myrtle Beach Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

2,190

Number of Veterans

2,022

Male Veterans

168

Female Veterans

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Myrtle Beach Veterans by War

count

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Myrtle Beach Veterans by Age

count

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Myrtle Beach Veterans by Race

Myrtle Beach Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

9.84%

Veteran Poverty Rate

30.48%

Veteran Disability Rate

Myrtle Beach Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

59.2%

Labor Force Participation

55.8%

Employment Rate

5.8%

Unemployment Rate

Myrtle Beach Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Myrtle Beach Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Myrtle Beach Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

30.52%

Born in Myrtle Beach

81.14%

Native Born

12.02%

Foreign Born

9.24%

Non Citizen

2.78%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

81.14% of Myrtle Beach residents were born in the United States, with 30.52% having been born in South Carolina. 9.24% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Myrtle Beach Place of Birth

Note: data after 2021 is projected based on recent change
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Myrtle Beach Population by Year