Horry County is located in the northeastern corner of South Carolina, bordering North Carolina and extending from the Atlantic coast inland along the Waccamaw River basin. Established in 1801 and historically tied to the Carolina coastal plain, the county has developed around riverine trade, agriculture, and later tourism and service industries. With a population of roughly 400,000, it is among the state’s larger counties and includes both rapidly urbanizing areas and extensive rural communities. The county’s landscape features beaches and barrier-island environments along the Grand Strand, broad wetlands, pine forests, and low-lying floodplains inland. Myrtle Beach and surrounding coastal communities anchor a service- and hospitality-based economy, while interior areas retain stronger links to forestry, farming, and small-town settlement patterns. The county seat is Conway, an inland city on the Waccamaw River with a historic downtown and regional administrative functions.

Horry County Local Demographic Profile

Horry County is located in northeastern South Carolina along the Atlantic Coast, anchored by the Myrtle Beach metropolitan area. The county borders North Carolina and includes a mix of coastal communities, inland river corridors, and rapidly growing suburban development.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Horry County, South Carolina, the county’s population was 397,478 (2020), with a 2023 population estimate of 422,665.

Age & Gender

Based on the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov) county profile tables (American Community Survey), Horry County’s age structure shows a comparatively large older adult population consistent with coastal retirement and in-migration patterns.

  • Age distribution (selected groups) (QuickFacts/ACS):
    • Under 18 years: ~18%
    • 18 to 64 years: ~59%
    • 65 years and over: ~23%
  • Gender ratio (sex composition) (QuickFacts/ACS):
    • Female: ~52%
    • Male: ~48%

(See the county profile metrics on Census QuickFacts for Horry County for the current ACS-based percentages displayed for these indicators.)

Racial & Ethnic Composition

The following measures are reported by the U.S. Census Bureau for Horry County (QuickFacts; race categories shown are for “one race,” and Hispanic/Latino is reported separately as an ethnicity): U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (Horry County).

  • White alone: ~78%
  • Black or African American alone: ~13%
  • Asian alone: ~2%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.6%
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
  • Two or more races: ~6%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~7%

Household & Housing Data

County household and housing characteristics are reported in U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts and ACS tables: Census QuickFacts (Horry County) and data.census.gov.

  • Households: ~170,000 (ACS-based count displayed in QuickFacts)
  • Average household size: ~2.3 persons
  • Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~69%
  • Median value of owner-occupied housing units: ~$240,000 (ACS-based)
  • Median gross rent: ~$1,100 (ACS-based)

For local government and planning resources, visit the Horry County official website.

Email Usage

Horry County’s large land area, coastal tourism hubs (notably Myrtle Beach), and sizable rural interior create uneven infrastructure needs; dense corridors tend to be better served than outlying communities, shaping how residents access digital communication such as email. Direct county-level email usage statistics are generally not published, so broadband and device access are used as proxies for likely email adoption.

Digital access indicators for Horry County (households with a broadband subscription and with a computer) are available through the U.S. Census Bureau’s data.census.gov (American Community Survey). These measures track the prerequisites for routine email use. Age structure also influences adoption: county age distributions (including shares of older adults) are reported by the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts; higher older-adult shares are commonly associated with lower rates of some online activities, including email. Gender distribution is also provided in QuickFacts but is typically a weaker predictor of email adoption than age and connectivity.

Connectivity constraints and infrastructure limits (availability and technology types) can be reviewed via the FCC National Broadband Map, which documents coverage gaps that can restrict reliable email access in rural parts of the county.

Mobile Phone Usage

Horry County is a large coastal county in northeastern South Carolina that includes Myrtle Beach and other Grand Strand communities, as well as extensive inland rural areas. The county’s mix of dense resort/urbanized corridors along the coast and lower-density inland communities influences mobile connectivity: coastal areas generally support denser cell-site deployment, while inland/rural areas often have fewer towers per square mile. Flat coastal plain terrain typically reduces terrain-blockage compared with mountainous regions, but distance, vegetation, and wetland/riverine areas can still affect coverage consistency.

Data notes and limitations (county-specific)

County-level metrics that directly quantify “mobile penetration” (for example, the share of people who own a mobile phone) are not consistently published as a single official indicator for every county. As a result, the most reliable county-level “access” proxies are:

  • Census/ACS measures of cellular data-only households (a form of household connectivity adoption), and
  • FCC measures of network availability (where networks report service could be provided).

These sources measure different things and should not be treated as interchangeable.

Network availability (coverage and service capability)

Primary source: The Federal Communications Commission publishes mobile broadband availability through its Broadband Data Collection, which provides location-based and map-based reporting by providers and technologies. This describes where service is reported as available, not whether residents subscribe or experience consistent performance.

4G LTE availability

  • In practice, 4G LTE is broadly available across most populated parts of Horry County due to its role as the baseline nationwide mobile broadband technology. The FCC map is the appropriate reference for provider-specific and location-specific LTE availability in the county.

5G availability

  • 5G availability in Horry County is strongest in and around the Myrtle Beach urbanized area and along major travel and commercial corridors where carriers prioritize capacity and coverage upgrades. Inland and less dense areas commonly show more limited 5G footprint or reliance on lower-band 5G that behaves more like enhanced LTE in coverage characteristics.
  • The FCC map provides carrier-reported 5G availability by technology and provider; it is the most direct public tool for identifying where 5G is reported in Horry County.

Network availability vs. user experience

  • FCC availability data indicates reported coverage/serviceable areas. Actual user experience varies with signal strength indoors, device radio bands, network congestion (notably during tourism peaks on the Grand Strand), backhaul capacity, and local siting constraints. County-level, independently validated performance data is not standardized in a single official dataset.

Household adoption indicators (actual use/subscription proxies)

Cellular data-only households (adoption proxy) A commonly used county-level indicator of mobile reliance is the share of households with a cellular data plan and no other internet subscription (often termed “cellular data-only”). This reflects adoption/usage patterns, not network availability.

  • County-level internet subscription tables (including cellular data plan categories) are available via the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS): Census.gov ACS program
  • County-level access via data.census.gov (search ACS “Internet Subscriptions” for Horry County): data.census.gov

Smartphone ownership (penetration proxy) The ACS also includes household-level measures related to computer type and internet subscription, but “smartphone ownership” is not always available as a clean county-level statistic in the same way as internet subscription types. National surveys (for example, Pew Research Center) report smartphone ownership at national/state levels rather than consistently at the county level, limiting definitive county-level penetration statements.

  • For official county-level subscription/adoption, ACS tables remain the most defensible public source.

Clear distinction

  • Availability: FCC reporting on where mobile broadband (LTE/5G) is claimed to be available.
  • Adoption: ACS reporting on household subscription types, including cellular data-only internet households.

Mobile internet usage patterns (how mobile is used for internet access)

At the county level, the most concrete public indicator of “mobile internet usage” is the ACS measure of households subscribing to cellular data plans, including cellular-only reliance. Patterns generally align with:

  • Urban/coastal areas: greater usage of mobile data alongside fixed broadband, with higher demand for capacity during peak seasonal visitation.
  • Rural/inland areas: greater likelihood that mobile broadband is used as a primary or supplemental connection where fixed broadband options are less available or less affordable.

Because the ACS measures subscriptions rather than radio technology, it does not distinguish 4G vs. 5G use at the household level. The FCC map distinguishes availability of 4G/5G but does not quantify actual share of traffic or subscribers using each.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

County-specific device-type splits are limited Public, county-level statistics separating smartphones from other mobile-connected devices (tablets, hotspots, IoT) are not typically published in an official dataset for Horry County. Two commonly used official proxies are:

  • ACS measures of cellular data plan subscriptions (indicating mobile broadband use), and
  • ACS measures of computer ownership/type (which can reflect reliance on phones vs. traditional computers, but does not directly enumerate “smartphone-only” at the individual level in a universally comparable way).

Practical interpretation supported by available measures

  • In most U.S. counties, smartphones are the dominant personal mobile device for internet access, while fixed wireless routers, dedicated hotspots, and tablets form smaller shares. For Horry County specifically, the defensible statement is that ACS cellular-data subscription measures capture mobile internet adoption, but they do not uniquely identify device form factors. Any precise device-type distribution would require private market research data not published as an official county statistic.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage in Horry County

Population distribution and seasonality

  • The coastal corridor anchored by Myrtle Beach has higher population density and concentrated commercial activity, supporting denser network infrastructure and generally stronger multi-provider competition.
  • Seasonal tourism increases demand for mobile capacity in the Grand Strand area. Public datasets do not provide an official “tourism congestion” metric at the county level, but the county’s tourism-centered economy is a recognized structural factor influencing peak network load.
  • County context and geography: Horry County government

Rural inland communities

  • Inland areas with lower density tend to have fewer cell sites and longer distances between towers, which can reduce indoor signal quality and peak throughput even where coverage exists. This is a geographic deployment reality rather than a county-unique attribute.

Income, age, and housing

  • ACS county tables support analysis of how adoption varies with income, age, educational attainment, and housing tenure (renters vs. owners). These factors often correlate with cellular-only internet subscription rates and overall internet subscription patterns.
  • Official demographic profiles and downloadable tables: data.census.gov

Broadband planning context South Carolina’s state broadband resources provide additional context for infrastructure planning and digital equity initiatives, but they do not replace FCC availability data or ACS adoption data.

Summary (availability vs. adoption)

  • Network availability in Horry County is best documented through the FCC National Broadband Map, which shows provider-reported 4G LTE and 5G coverage footprints and is the appropriate source for “where service is available.”
  • Household adoption and mobile-reliance indicators are best measured through the American Community Survey tables (accessed via data.census.gov), especially the share of households with cellular data-only internet service, which reflects actual subscription behavior rather than coverage.
  • Device-type breakdowns (smartphone vs. other mobile devices) are not consistently available as official county-level statistics; ACS and FCC datasets support analysis of subscriptions and availability but do not provide a definitive device mix for Horry County.

Social Media Trends

Horry County is on South Carolina’s northeastern coast in the Myrtle Beach–Conway–North Myrtle Beach metro area. Its large tourism economy (Myrtle Beach), a sizable retiree population, and the presence of Coastal Carolina University in Conway contribute to a mix of high mobile connectivity, strong event- and hospitality-driven local marketing activity, and a broader age distribution than many South Carolina counties—factors that commonly shape which platforms are used and how frequently residents engage.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

  • County-specific social media penetration: No regularly published, statistically representative dataset reports social media penetration specifically for Horry County in the same way national surveys do.
  • Best available benchmark (U.S./regional context used for county inference):

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

Nationally, age is the strongest predictor of social media usage; this pattern typically carries into counties with mixed retiree and student/working-age populations such as Horry.

  • 18–29: Highest usage (about mid-to-high 80% using social media).
  • 30–49: Very high usage (about ~80%).
  • 50–64: Majority usage (about ~70%).
  • 65+: Lower but still substantial (about ~45%). Source: Pew Research Center.

Gender breakdown

Pew’s platform-by-platform results show small overall gender gaps in total social media use, with more noticeable differences on specific platforms:

  • Women tend to over-index on Pinterest and show slightly higher usage on Facebook in many survey waves.
  • Men tend to over-index on Reddit and are often slightly higher on YouTube in some waves. Source: Pew Research Center.

Most-used platforms (percentages)

County-specific platform shares are not published in standard public datasets; the most defensible reference is U.S.-adult platform usage from Pew (widely used as a benchmark for local areas):

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns / preferences)

  • Tourism and local events drive visual-first posting and discovery: In destination-heavy markets like Myrtle Beach, engagement tends to concentrate around short-form video and photo content (e.g., beach, dining, entertainment), aligning with the broad national reach of YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok (Pew platform usage baseline: Pew).
  • Age-linked platform preference:
    • Older adults skew toward Facebook for community updates, groups, and local news sharing (Pew).
    • Younger adults skew toward Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and heavy YouTube use (Pew).
  • Video is a primary engagement format: Across age groups, YouTube’s reach (83% of adults) indicates video is a dominant consumption mode (Pew).
  • Local business discovery and messaging: Facebook and Instagram commonly function as discovery and contact channels for local services; Pew reports high usage of these platforms nationally, and business messaging behaviors typically follow from their local network effects (Pew platform adoption: Pew).
  • Engagement cadence tends to be mobile-first: High smartphone adoption nationally supports frequent, short-session social checking and video viewing throughout the day (smartphone benchmark: Pew Research Center).

Family & Associates Records

Horry County public records related to family and associates include vital records, court filings, and recorded documents. South Carolina vital records (birth and death certificates) are maintained statewide by the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH), not by the county; certified copies are requested through DPH’s Vital Records office (South Carolina DPH Vital Records). Adoption records are generally handled through the family court system and are commonly sealed, with access governed by state law and court order processes.

Family- and associate-related court records (such as domestic relations filings) are created and maintained by the Horry County Clerk of Court (Horry County Clerk of Court). Land records that can document family or associate relationships (deeds, mortgages, plats) are recorded by the Horry County Register of Deeds (Horry County Register of Deeds), with online search access provided through its public search portal.

Online access is primarily available for recorded land documents and some court index information; in-person access is available at the Clerk of Court and Register of Deeds offices for searching and obtaining copies. Privacy restrictions commonly apply to adoption files, juvenile matters, and certain sensitive personal identifiers within public records.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

  • Marriage license and marriage certificate (Horry County)
    • Marriage license application/license: Created when a couple applies to marry through the county probate court.
    • Certified marriage certificate: Issued after the marriage is recorded; used as legal proof of marriage.
  • Divorce records
    • Divorce decree/final order: The court’s final judgment dissolving the marriage, maintained in the civil case file.
    • Associated case filings: Complaints, settlement agreements, support/custody orders, motions, and hearings/transcripts (when applicable) maintained as part of the court case record.
  • Annulments
    • Order of annulment: A court order declaring a marriage void or voidable; maintained in the civil case file similarly to divorce matters.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

  • Marriage records (licensing and certified copies)
    • Filed/maintained by: Horry County Probate Court (the county office that issues marriage licenses).
    • Access:
      • In person at the Probate Court for certified copies and related license records, subject to identification and any applicable eligibility requirements for certified copies.
  • Divorce and annulment records (court case files and final orders)
    • Filed/maintained by: South Carolina Court of Common Pleas (Horry County), part of the 15th Judicial Circuit; these matters are handled as civil/family court cases within the circuit court system.
    • Access:
      • In person through the Clerk of Court for Horry County (records/case file access and certified copies of orders).
      • Online case index/docket access is commonly available through the South Carolina Judicial Branch public index for many civil cases, with document images and certain fields subject to restriction.
  • State-level vital records (marriage and divorce verification)
    • Maintained by: South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH), Vital Records (statewide vital records program; successor to prior state vital records administration functions).
    • Access:
      • Certified vital records copies (where authorized) and verifications/extracts (depending on record type and time period) are obtained through the state vital records office and approved request channels.
    • Reference: South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH).

Typical information included in these records

  • Marriage license / marriage certificate
    • Full legal names of spouses (including maiden name where applicable)
    • Date and place of marriage and/or date license issued
    • Officiant name and authority, and certification/return of the marriage to the issuing office
    • County and filing/recording details (book/page or instrument number, where used)
    • Additional application details may appear in the license file (varies by form and period), such as ages/dates of birth, residences, and parental information.
  • Divorce decree (final order)
    • Names of parties, case number, court and county
    • Date of filing and date of final judgment
    • Legal findings and disposition (granting divorce or separate maintenance, where applicable)
    • Terms of the judgment (property division, alimony, child custody/visitation, child support, name change, attorney’s fees), when ordered
  • Annulment order
    • Names of parties, case number, court and county
    • Date and terms of the order
    • Findings supporting annulment and related orders (property, support, custody) where addressed

Privacy or legal restrictions

  • Marriage records
    • Marriage licenses and recorded marriage information are generally treated as public records, but access to certified copies is subject to governmental procedures, identification requirements, and fees.
  • Divorce and annulment records
    • Case existence and basic docket information are commonly public.
    • Document access may be restricted by law and court rule for protected information, including but not limited to:
      • Records sealed by court order
      • Confidential family court materials (for example, certain reports, evaluations, and protected filings)
      • Sensitive personal identifiers (such as Social Security numbers) and protected information involving minors
    • Courts may require redaction and may limit remote access to certain document images even when in-person inspection is available.
  • State vital records
    • State-issued certified copies and certain verifications are governed by South Carolina vital records statutes and administrative rules, which typically impose eligibility limits for certified copies and require proof of identity, with additional restrictions for more recent records.

Education, Employment and Housing

Horry County is in northeastern coastal South Carolina and includes Myrtle Beach, Conway (the county seat), North Myrtle Beach, and large unincorporated areas along the Waccamaw River corridor. It is one of South Carolina’s fastest-growing counties, with a large share of in-migrants and a notable retiree population alongside tourism- and service-oriented communities near the coast and more rural inland communities. Population and many of the countywide percentages below are based on the most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) county estimates.

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

Public K–12 education is provided primarily by Horry County Schools (HCS). A current list of district schools and programs is maintained on the district’s official site: Horry County Schools.

  • Number of schools and names: The district operates dozens of schools (elementary, middle, high), plus career/technical and alternative programs. A single authoritative, up-to-date school-by-school roster is best taken from the district directory (school openings/closures and consolidations occur periodically), rather than a static list in secondary sources.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates (most recent available)

  • Student–teacher ratio (district-level): Reported ratios vary by source and year; district and state report cards are the standard references for official ratios and staffing. South Carolina publishes district report cards via the state education agency: South Carolina School Report Cards.
  • Graduation rate: South Carolina’s official 4-year cohort graduation rate is reported annually on the state report card system (district and high-school level). For the most recent confirmed values, the state report card is the primary reference (rates can differ by high school and student subgroup).

Adult educational attainment (ACS)

Adult attainment is commonly summarized for residents age 25+. The latest ACS profile for Horry County reports (approximate, subject to ACS margins of error):

Notable programs (STEM, vocational, AP)

  • Career and Technical Education (CTE): Horry County schools operate career/technical pathways aligned with South Carolina CTE clusters, commonly including health sciences, information technology, skilled trades, business, and hospitality-related pathways; district program listings and school-specific academies are published by HCS.
  • Advanced Placement (AP) and dual-credit options: County high schools commonly offer AP coursework, with additional college-credit options often supported through regional higher-education partners; offerings vary by school and year and are documented in school course guides and the district’s secondary curriculum materials.
  • STEM-focused programming: STEM coursework is typically embedded through math/science sequences, career academies, and specialized electives; availability varies by campus and is reflected in school profiles and course catalogs.

School safety measures and counseling resources

  • Safety operations: Like other South Carolina districts, HCS schools typically use layered safety approaches that can include controlled entry, visitor management, drills, collaboration with law enforcement/school resource officers (SROs), and incident reporting protocols (specific measures differ by campus and are updated over time through district policy and annual safety planning).
  • Student support services: Public school counseling is generally delivered through school counselors, and many campuses also coordinate with school psychologists, social workers, and behavioral intervention teams as part of multi-tiered systems of support. District and school webpages are the most current references for staffing models and services.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

  • Most recent annual unemployment rate: The official benchmark is the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) local area unemployment statistics, with monthly and annual averages. The most current county rates are published here: SC DEW labor market information.
  • Context: Horry County’s labor market commonly shows seasonal patterns tied to tourism (higher employment in peak visitor months).

Major industries and employment sectors

Employment is concentrated in:

  • Accommodation and food services and arts/entertainment/recreation (tourism and hospitality centered on Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand)
  • Retail trade
  • Health care and social assistance (serving both residents and a sizable older population)
  • Construction (driven by ongoing residential and commercial growth)
  • Educational services and public administration (school district, local government) Industry composition is available through federal and state labor market profiles, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and SC DEW: BLS Southeast regional data and SC DEW LMI.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Typical high-employment occupational groups include:

  • Food preparation and serving, sales and related, and office/administrative support (reflecting hospitality and retail)
  • Transportation and material moving (distribution and service logistics)
  • Construction and extraction and installation/maintenance/repair
  • Healthcare support and healthcare practitioners/technical The ACS provides a county occupational distribution for employed residents: ACS occupation tables on data.census.gov.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

  • Commute mode: Most workers commute by driving alone, with smaller shares carpooling and working from home; public transit use is limited relative to large metro areas (ACS commuting tables).
  • Mean travel time to work: The most recent ACS mean commute time for Horry County is typically in the mid-to-upper 20-minute range (exact current estimate and margin of error reported in ACS “Travel time to work”). Source: ACS commuting data on data.census.gov.

Local employment versus out-of-county work

  • In-county work: A substantial share of residents work within Horry County due to the concentration of jobs along the Grand Strand and in Conway.
  • Out-of-county commuting: A meaningful commuter flow also travels to/from nearby areas (notably into adjacent coastal and inland counties and across the state line into southeastern North Carolina for some specialized roles). The clearest public measure of inflows/outflows is the Census Bureau’s LEHD/OnTheMap commuting data: Census OnTheMap commuting flows.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share (ACS)

Horry County has a large owner-occupied base plus significant rental housing in beach-market subareas.

Median property values and recent trends

  • Median owner-occupied home value (ACS): commonly reported in the $250,000–$320,000 range in recent ACS releases (countywide median; coastal submarkets often higher than inland areas).
  • Recent trend: Values increased sharply during 2020–2022 and remained elevated thereafter relative to pre-2020 baselines; countywide medians can lag faster-moving market indicators because ACS reflects survey estimates and multi-year sampling.
    Primary source for official county medians: ACS median home value tables. For market trend context, regional housing reports from state/local Realtor associations are commonly used proxies, while noting they measure listings/sales rather than the full housing stock.

Typical rent prices

  • Median gross rent (ACS): often roughly $1,100–$1,400 countywide in recent ACS estimates, with higher typical rents near oceanfront and newer multifamily corridors and lower typical rents inland.
    Primary source: ACS median gross rent tables.

Housing types (single-family, apartments, rural lots)

  • Single-family detached homes dominate much of the inland and suburban footprint (Conway-area growth corridors and expanding planned subdivisions).
  • Multifamily apartments and condominiums are more prevalent near Myrtle Beach/North Myrtle Beach and major commercial corridors, with a substantial share of seasonal/second-home or short-term visitor-oriented units in coastal areas.
  • Manufactured housing and larger rural lots remain part of the inland housing mix, particularly outside the denser coastal strip.
    Housing structure type shares are published in ACS “Units in structure” tables: ACS housing structure tables.

Neighborhood characteristics (schools/amenities)

  • Coastal and near-coastal areas tend to cluster around tourism amenities, retail corridors, and higher-density housing, with greater proximity to beaches and entertainment districts.
  • Conway and growth corridors (near major highways) show expanding subdivisions, proximity to schools and civic facilities, and increasing retail/medical development.
  • Inland rural areas generally have lower density, longer travel distances to major employment centers, and more reliance on arterial road commuting.

Property tax overview (rate and typical homeowner cost)

Property taxes in South Carolina depend on assessed value, millage rates (county/municipal/school), and property classification (owner-occupied primary residences are typically assessed at a lower ratio than non-owner-occupied/second homes). County-level billing practices and millage are administered through local government.

  • Effective property tax level (proxy): Countywide effective property taxes for owner-occupied homes in South Carolina are often below the national average, but bill amounts vary widely by location (municipal vs unincorporated), value, and exemptions (including legal residence provisions).
  • Typical homeowner cost: A practical proxy is the ACS “median real estate taxes paid” (owner-occupied), available for Horry County on data.census.gov: ACS real estate taxes paid.
    For local rates, exemptions, and billing details, the county’s auditor/treasurer resources are the authoritative references: Horry County government (tax offices and millage information).

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Other Counties in South Carolina