Surfside Beach, SC

Census Place

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    2024 Population
    4,270
    US Senator
    Lindsey Graham
    Republican Party
    US Senator
    Tim Scott
    Republican Party
    2024 Median Age
    55.5
    0.181% 1-year increase
    2024 Poverty Rate
    16.8%
    71.9% 1-year increase
    2024 Median Household Income
    $70,106
    5.52% 1-year decline
    2024 Median Property Value
    $450,100
    9.22% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    1,656
    10% 1-year decline

    About

    None of the households in Surfside Beach, SC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

    99.5% of the residents in Surfside Beach, SC are U.S. citizens.

    In 2024, the median property value in Surfside Beach, SC was $450,100, and the homeownership rate was 67.5%.

    Most people in Surfside Beach, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Surfside Beach, SC was 2 cars per household.

    United StatesSouth CarolinaHorry County, SCMyrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NCHorry (Central and North) County--North Myrtle Beach City PUMA, SCHorry (Central and South) County--Myrtle Beach City PUMA, SC

    Population & Diversity

    Surfside Beach, SC is home to a population of 4.27k people, from which 99.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.19% of Surfside Beach, SC residents were born outside of the country (51 people).

    In 2024, there were 26.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (3.94k people) in Surfside Beach, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 149 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 64 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    99.5%
    2024 Citizenship
    99.4%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 99.5% of Surfside Beach, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Surfside Beach, SC was 99.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

    The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Surfside Beach, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Diversity

    Race and Ethnicity

    The 3 largest ethnic groups in Surfside Beach, SC
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      3.94k ± 125
    2. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
      149 ± 77
    3. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
      64 ± 66
    0.562%
    Hispanic Population
    24 people

    In 2024, there were 26.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (3.94k people) in Surfside Beach, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 149 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 64 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    0.562% of the people in Surfside Beach, SC are hispanic (24 people).

    The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Surfside Beach, SC as a share of the total population.

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    Global Diversity

    The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for South Carolina.
    Most Common Origin
    1. Mexico
      65,146 ± 6,228 people
    2. India
      21,511 ± 3,594 people
    3. Colombia
      15,785 ± 3,080 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 65,146 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 21,511 and Colombia with 15,785.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    1.19%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    51 people
    1.59%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    67 people

    As of 2024, 1.19% of Surfside Beach, SC residents (51 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Surfside Beach, SC was 1.59%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

    The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Surfside Beach, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Vietnam
      109 ± 42
    2. Gulf War (1990s)
      97 ± 53
    3. Gulf War (2001-)
      44 ± 52

    Surfside Beach, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.12 times greater than any other conflict.

    The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Surfside Beach, SC.

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    Health

    89.6% of the population of Surfside Beach, SC has health coverage, with 31.4% on employee plans, 10.8% on Medicaid, 24% on Medicare, 19.9% on non-group plans, and 3.43% on military or VA plans.

    Primary care physicians in South Carolina see 1,485 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,485 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1682 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 437 patients per year.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.5% were men and 49.5% were women.

    Coverage

    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 12.3% under 18 years, 13.7% between 18 and 34 years, 44.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 29.1% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.5% were men and 49.5% were women.

    The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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    Uninsured People

    10.4%
    Uninsured
    31.4%
    Employer Coverage
    10.8%
    Medicaid
    24%
    Medicare
    19.9%
    Non-Group
    3.43%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Surfside Beach, SC declined by 16.2% from 12.5% to 10.4%.

    The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Surfside Beach, SC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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    Economy

    The economy of Surfside Beach, SC employs 1.66k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Surfside Beach, SC were Accommodation & Food Services (276 people), Retail Trade (207 people), and Manufacturing (164 people), and the highest paying industries were Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($142,574), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($75,568), and Educational Services ($74,779).

    Employment

    Occupations

    1.66k
    2024 Value
    ± 255
    −10%
    1 Year decline
    ± 23.6%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Surfside Beach, SC declined at a rate of −10%, from 1.84k employees to 1.66k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Surfside Beach, SC, are Management Occupations (240 people), Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (191 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (182 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Surfside Beach, SC.

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    Unemployment Insurance Claims

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

    This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

    The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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    Industries

    Employment by Industries

    1.66k
    2024 Value
    ± 255
    −10%
    1 Year decline
    ± 23.6%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Surfside Beach, SC declined at a rate of −10%, from 1.84k employees to 1.66k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Surfside Beach, SC, are Accommodation & Food Services (276 people), Retail Trade (207 people), and Manufacturing (164 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Surfside Beach, SC, though some of these residents may live in Surfside Beach, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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    Median Earnings by Industry

    $54,294
    Median earning men ± $5,757
    $39,232
    Median earning women ± $5,412

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($143,162), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($71,016), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,938).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($73,659), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($48,875), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($47,000).

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    Employment by Industry Sector

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.
    Y-Axis
    2.54%
    Year-over-year growth
    Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

    As of February 2023, there are 2.26M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.54% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

    Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.4%.

    The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Carolina.

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    Civics

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in South Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 58.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (40.4%), followed by Other (0.595%).

    Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott are the senators currently representing the state of South Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    South Carolina is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

    Presidential Elections

    Voting results are not available for Surfside Beach, SC. Showing the available data for South Carolina.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Donald J. Trump (58.2%)
      Republican Party
    2. Kamala Harris (40.4%)
      Democratic Party
    3. Other (0.595%)
      Other Party

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in South Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 58.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (40.4%), followed by Other (0.595%).

    The following chart shows the popular vote results in South Carolina for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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    Senator Elections

    US Senators from South Carolina

    Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.
    Lindsey Graham
    Senator from South Carolina2
    Assumed office on January 3, 2003
    Tim Scott
    Senator from South Carolina3
    Assumed office on January 2, 2013
    Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Jim DeMint.

    Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott are the senators currently representing South Carolina.

    In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    The following chart shows elected senators in South Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Surfside Beach, SC was $450,100 in 2024, which is 1.35 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $412,100 to $450,100, a 9.22% increase. The homeownership rate in Surfside Beach, SC is 67.5%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Surfside Beach, SC have an average commute time of 20.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Surfside Beach, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    Housing

    Property

    $450,100
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$24,921
    $1,372
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$200

    The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Surfside Beach, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

    The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Surfside Beach, SC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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    Rent vs Own

    67.5%
    Homeownership
    2024
    68.4%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 67.5% of the housing units in Surfside Beach, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 65%.

    This chart shows the percentage of owner in Surfside Beach, SC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $70,106
    Median Household Income
    ± $7,736
    2.03k
    Number of Households
    ± 256

    In 2024, the median household income of the 2.03k households in Surfside Beach, SC declined from $70,106 from the previous year's value of $74,202.

    The following chart displays the households in Surfside Beach, SC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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    Wage Distribution

    The closest comparable wage GINI for Surfside Beach, SC is from South Carolina.
    0.462
    2024 Wage GINI in South Carolina
    0.464
    2023 Wage GINI in South Carolina

    In 2024, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.462 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.296% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Carolina in comparison to the national average.

    This chart shows the number of workers in South Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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    Transportation

    Commuter Transportation

    Most Common Commute in 2024
    1. Drove Alone (71.1%)
    2. Worked At Home (12.7%)
    3. Carpooled (7.72%)

    In 2024, 71.1% of workers in Surfside Beach, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (12.7%) and those who carpooled to work (7.72%).

    The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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    Commute Time

    20.2 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Surfside Beach, SC have a shorter commute time (20.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.33% of the workforce in Surfside Beach, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

    The chart below shows how the median household income in Surfside Beach, SC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Car Ownership

    2 cars
    Average Number

    The following chart displays the households in Surfside Beach, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Surfside Beach, SC have 2 cars.

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    Poverty

    Poverty & Diversity

    16.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Surfside Beach, SC (714 out of 4.26k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males < 5 and then Females 45 - 54.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Surfside Beach, SC is White, followed by Two Or More and Black.

    The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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