Myrtle Beach is a different conversation than people expect. The tourist version — 18 million visitors a year, golf courses, boardwalk hotels — is real. So is the year-round population that’s grown as remote workers and retirees move in from the Northeast and Midwest. The Grand Strand has 60 miles of Atlantic coast and programs to help first-time buyers get in.
The Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach MSA is the fastest-growing in the state. Remote workers, retirees, and the permanent healthcare and service workforce have pushed year-round population growth above every other SC metro. The $260K median reflects that momentum.
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach MSA
Atlantic coast — the actual number
Fastest-growing metro in South Carolina
First Front Door for first-generation buyers
SC Housing’s statewide stack applies here. Horry County adds a local layer. Conway — the county seat, inland from the beach — has its own program at lower purchase price points. Here’s the full picture for Grand Strand buyers.
SC Housing’s flagship DPA for first-time buyers. Up to $12,000 forgivable after 10 years of continuous occupancy. Paired with a SC Housing first mortgage. The baseline program for Grand Strand buyers.
Who qualifies: First-time buyer. Income limits for the Myrtle Beach MSA. Must use SC Housing-approved lender. Homebuyer education required.
Rate reduction for teachers, law enforcement, healthcare workers, military, and first responders. Tidelands Health and Grand Strand Medical are major employers here — healthcare workers should ask about this program specifically. Stacks with SC Home Program.
Who qualifies: Healthcare workers, teachers (public school), law enforcement, military, first responders. Income limits apply.
Horry County HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds for first-time buyers in Horry County. Applies to Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, and unincorporated county areas. Deferred — no payments until sale, refinance, or transfer.
Who qualifies: Horry County properties. First-time buyer. Below 80% AMI. Homebuyer education required.
Conway — the Horry County seat and the most affordable submarket in the metro — has its own DPA program. Lower purchase price limits reflect Conway’s market. The combination of Conway’s pricing and this assistance is the strongest affordability case in the MSA.
Who qualifies: Conway city properties. First-time buyer. Income limits apply. Below Conway purchase price limits.
Buyer education and housing counseling resources for the Grand Strand area. Required for most DPA programs and useful for navigating the full stack of available assistance. Free to access.
Who qualifies: Any Grand Strand homebuyer. HUD-approved counseling. Satisfies homebuyer education requirements for most programs.
$15,000 standard; $20,000 for first-generation buyers. Federal Home Loan Bank program administered locally. When windows open, they close fast. No repayment if you stay 5 years. High-impact program at Myrtle Beach’s price point.
Who qualifies: First-time buyer. Below 80% AMI. First-generation buyers (parents never owned) get the $20K tier. 5-year residency requirement.
Conway note: Conway is the actual county seat of Horry County — and the most affordable submarket in the metro. Buyers priced out of the beach-adjacent areas often find that Conway has comparable DPA access at lower purchase prices. Ask about Conway DPA separately from Horry County programs.
“Myrtle Beach” is shorthand for a metro that runs from Little River on the NC border to Murrells Inlet to the south. Each community has its own character and price range. Conway, inland, is where the genuine affordability lives.
Carolina Forest is the value leader in the metro. Master-planned community with its own schools, commercial corridor, and access to the beach without beach-adjacent pricing. Where a lot of young families and remote workers land.
Built on the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base site. Market Common is the most walkable district in the metro — restaurants, retail, parks, and residential in a planned urban format. Higher prices reflect the location and design.
Conway is the real Horry County — the county seat, the Coastal Carolina University city, the place locals actually live. The most affordable entry point in the metro and the one with the strongest DPA case. Worth exploring seriously.
North of Myrtle Beach proper — quieter, less commercial, and with a stronger neighborhood character. Cherry Grove and Ocean Drive Beaches give it an identity beyond the boardwalk. Prices track the main market with a slight premium for the vibe.
Surfside calls itself “the family beach” — it’s not wrong. South of Myrtle Beach proper, more residential character, and a consistent buyer demand from families wanting beach access in a less commercial setting.
At the northern edge of the Grand Strand, just south of the NC line. Quieter than Myrtle Beach proper, with some of the lowest prices in the metro for buyers who want coastal access. Brunswick County NC is a short drive — broadens the job market.
The 18 million tourists a year are real — and they create a permanent service economy. But the people moving here now aren’t coming for vacation. They’re coming for the Atlantic Ocean, the cost of living, and the ability to work remotely from a place that doesn’t cost $600K to buy into. The year-round population story is the actual story.
The Grand Strand is 60 continuous miles of Atlantic coastline. That’s the actual number. At $260K median, buyers are getting coastal access at a fraction of what comparable Florida or North Carolina markets cost. The geography is real — it’s the price that surprises people.
The fastest-growing metro in South Carolina isn’t driven by tourism workers — it’s driven by remote workers from the Northeast and Midwest and retirees who found that $260K buys a real house near the Atlantic. That demand is permanent and compressing inventory.
Two major health systems serve the Grand Strand’s permanent population. Healthcare employment creates stable, year-round buyers who aren’t dependent on tourism seasonality. Palmetto Heroes applies here — if you work in healthcare, ask about the rate reduction.
Keep going
You’ve seen the Grand Strand’s SC Housing DPA stack, Horry County programs, and where the real affordability lives inland.
Keep the momentum. Step 3 · Qualify picks up exactly where this page leaves off — still free, still no credit pull, still no sales call.