Myrtle Beach, The Best of Coastal South Carolina
A lot of the best places we talk about here at Places of Value are pretty unique. And, some are relatively unknown; others are, oddly enough, internationally famous.
Just last week we had a chance to look at Hilton Head, SC and this week I want to look at another well-known South Carolina coastal resort town, Myrtle Beach, SC, population roughly 32,000.
Now everybody and their mother knows that Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a major tourist destination and has been for a long time.
People who live in Myrtle Beach will tell you how over a hundred years ago people walked or hooked up the wagon and headed for the flat sandy beaches of the Grand Strand for relaxation and fun in the sun and that is still true today…minus the wagons.
Something you might not be aware of is that there are an awful lot of people who have decided Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is their best place to live in South Carolina. Maybe in all the Carolinas.
So many people in fact that the local chamber of commerce estimates they’ve seen a population increase over the last ten years of more than 36%.
This increase makes Myrtle Beach one of the fastest growing areas in not just South Carolina and North Carolina, but in the United States!
Today I thought I’d share some reasons why so many people are moving to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Location: I know I mention this a lot with coastal South Carolina and North Carolina towns, but Myrtle Beach’s location is the number one reason why people consider these areas some of the best places to live.
With a mild subtropical climate and beautiful beaches, the fun in the sun drawing power in Myrtle Beach, you won’t find in say… the mountains.
With over 200 days of sunshine a year it makes it a great place to do a lot of outdoor activities.
Entertainment and activities: Needless to say resort towns always have a lot going on. There are restaurants, clubs, theaters, shopping and a variety of family entertainment.
Let’s just say you shouldn’t have trouble finding something to do in Myrtle Beach.
Oh, and did I mention all the outdoor activities?
With hundreds of golf courses, tennis courts, beautiful beaches, etc. Myrtle Beach, SC definitely is a Best Place to Live for the active among us.
Affordable housing: The median home price in the Myrtle Beach area is around $175,000 and while there is truly a variety of housing options in the area, even better deals can be found in some of the smaller surrounding communities.
For those of us looking to rent, the average cost for a one bedroom apartment is $733 per month.
Great deal for Retirees: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has been named a best place to retire several times over the last decade due to its low cost of living, low housing costs, wide variety of activities.
In addition, Myrtle Beach offers some Places of Value intangibles like excellent medical care facilities, access to an international airport, and at least three area lifelong learning centers available through Coastal Carolina University.
As always, with the good there also comes the bad…okay let's call them less than ideal.
Crime: One thing that pops up quite often is that Myrtle Beach, SC has a crime rate that is much higher than the national average.
Not only is property crime a problem but also statistics suggest a higher than average rate of assault and violent crime that is troubling but not uncommon in resort areas with very fluid populations during the tourist season.
Jobs: Also, given that Myrtle Beach is a resort town and the local economy depends on tourism, when the season is over or as is the case now the overall economy is down and people are tightening their belts, the local unemployment rate is also above the state average.
Hurricanes: And as usual we have to wrap up any discussion of a coastal South Carolina best place to live by mentioning that although its been a while since the “big one” hit you need to be aware of Hurricane season.
You must take it into consideration when you think about relocating or retiring to Myrtle Beach, SC.
Not only are there the obvious reasons but for those of you that aren’t used to living on the coast, keep in mind your home owners insurance cost will be dramatically affected.
Be sure to do your homework before you buy that dream home.
Anyway, enough for now and please come back next week when we move on to… okay, I haven’t made up my mind about that yet but I guarantee it’ll be fun and informative!
About Bob Bencivenga
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Bob Bencivenga is a professional site locator and location analyst for major corporations and has been researching the growth of NC and SC to find the Best Places to Retire or Relocate that are still affordable. |
| Visit his blog The Carolina Report and sign up for FREE updates by email,his FREE Affordable Best Places To Live Report and, get FREE Expert Advice on how to find Your Best Place to Retire or Relocate to in North Carolina and South Carolina, additional resources, and a lot more.
Bob does not sell real estate. |
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