Market Overview
Horry County is defined by the Grand Strand — Myrtle Beach and its surrounding beach towns drive a tourism-heavy economy, but the inland areas around Conway and Carolina Forest offer surprisingly affordable suburban living for year-round residents.
Horry County is big — it takes over an hour to drive from North Myrtle Beach to the southern end near Murrells Inlet. US-17 (Kings Highway) is the main coastal artery and it crawls during summer tourist season. SC-31 (Carolina Bays Parkway) is the toll-free bypass that locals use to avoid the worst of it. Conway is about 20 minutes inland from Myrtle Beach via US-501, which also backs up on summer weekends. Myrtle Beach International Airport is convenient for East Coast travel but has limited direct routes to the West Coast.
Oceanfront condos in Myrtle Beach range from $150K for older units to $500K+ for newer or higher-floor properties. North Myrtle Beach oceanfront homes start around $600K and climb quickly. Inland, Carolina Forest is the sweet spot for families — new construction four-bedrooms in the $300K-$450K range. Conway proper has some of the cheapest housing in coastal South Carolina, with homes from $150K-$250K. The investment and vacation rental market is active, but the city of Myrtle Beach has tightened short-term rental regulations in residential areas.
Carolina Forest is where most families with school-age children settle, and the schools there have responded well to growth. Coastal Carolina University in Conway adds a college-town energy and D1 athletics. Daily life for year-round residents looks different from the tourist experience — locals know which restaurants stay good year-round, which beaches are quieter like Huntington Beach State Park, and that the real charm of the area is in the Lowcountry marshes and rivers, not the strip. Golf is woven into daily life here — green fees are a fraction of what you'd pay in Hilton Head or Charleston.
Horry County has been one of the fastest-growing counties in South Carolina, driven by retirees, remote workers, and tourism-sector employment.
Year-round residents can find homes inland from $200K-$350K in Carolina Forest and Conway — a fraction of other coastal South Carolina markets.
No state income tax on retirement income and low property taxes make Horry County a magnet for retirees from the Northeast and Midwest.
60+ miles of beaches, over 80 golf courses, and Myrtle Beach International Airport with direct flights to major East Coast cities.
Explore the Area
The largest master-planned community in the county with new construction, good schools, and homes from $250K to $500K — the de facto family suburb.
Quieter and more upscale than Myrtle Beach proper, with oceanfront condos, Barefoot Landing, and a loyal shag-dancing community.
A walkable mixed-use development on the former Air Force base with townhomes, shops, and a village-center feel unusual for the area.
The county seat and a historic riverwalk town with affordable housing, Coastal Carolina University, and a growing downtown.
A small, family-oriented beach town south of Myrtle Beach with a quieter pace and lower condo prices.
It depends on your tolerance for tourism. The beach areas get packed from May through September, and traffic on US-17 and Kings Highway can be brutal. But inland communities like Carolina Forest, Conway, and the Market Common offer a genuinely good year-round lifestyle with affordable housing, improving schools, and a growing economy beyond just tourism.
Horry County is vulnerable to both coastal hurricanes and inland flooding — the Waccamaw River flooded significantly during Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Florence (2018), impacting Conway and areas far from the beach. Flood insurance is essential, and buyers should carefully check flood zone designations, especially along river corridors.
Horry County Schools is one of the largest districts in the state. Carolina Forest schools — particularly Carolina Forest High — are among the highest-rated in the county. St. James schools near Murrells Inlet also perform well. The Conway-area schools have more mixed results. There's been significant investment in new school construction to keep up with growth.
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