Horry County, South Carolina
CountyHorry County
StateSouth Carolina
Ex imageNew Horry County Courthouse and county office complex, Conway, South Carolina (18 November 2006).jpg
Ex image capHorry County Government and Justice Center
Zip codes29511, 29526, 29527, 29528, 29544, 29545, 29566, 29567, 29568, 29569, 29572, 29575, 29576. 29577, 29578, 29579, 29581, 29582, 29587, 29588, 29597, 29598[1]
Area codes843
Founded date1801
Named forPeter Horry
Seat wlConway
Largest city wlMyrtle Beach
City typecommunity
Area total1254.73 sq mi
Area land1133.31 sq mi
Area water121.42 sq mi
Area percentage9.69
Population as of2020
Population total351029
Pop est as of2025
Population est427551
Coordinates33.91°N 78.98°W
District7th
Time zoneEastern
Webwww.horrycountysc.gov

Horry County (/ˈɒriː/ OR-ree, silent "h" like its namesake Peter Horry) is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 351,029.[2] It is the fourth-most populous county in South Carolina. The county seat is Conway.[3] Horry County is the central county in the Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina, about 90 miles (140 km) north of Charleston, and about 130 miles (210 km) east of the state capital, Columbia.

History

Horry County was created from Georgetown District in 1801. At this time, the county had an estimated population of 550. Isolated by the many rivers and swamps typical of the South Carolina Lowcountry, the area essentially was surrounded by water, forcing its inhabitants to survive without much assistance from the "outside world". This caused the county residents to become an extremely independent populace, and they named their county "The Independent Republic of Horry". The county was named after, and in honor of, Revolutionary War hero Peter Horry[4] who was born in South Carolina around 1743. Horry started his military career in 1775 as one of 20 captains, elected by the Provincial Congress of South Carolina, to serve the 1st and 2nd Regiments. In 1790, he was assigned to the South Carolina militia under Brigadier General Francis Marion.[5]

The population has increased more than fourfold since 1970, as the area has become a destination for retirees and people owning second homes.

On October 29, 2012, the county paid homage to the man for whom the county is named. It commissioned a bronze sculpture of Peter Horry, installing it inside the Horry County Government and Justice Center. The sculpture was designed by artist Garland Weeks. Coastal Monument of Conway designed the stone base. The base of the sculpture is inscribed with the names of the 1801 commissioners on one side and the names of 2011 Horry County Council members on the other; a brief biography of General Peter Horry is on the front. It cost slightly more than $16,200 for both the bust/sculpture and the stone base.[6][7][8]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,254.73 square miles (3,249.7 km2), of which 1,133.31 square miles (2,935.3 km2) is land and 121.42 square miles (314.5 km2) (9.68%) is water.[9] It is the largest county by land area in South Carolina.[10] The highest point in the county is 124 feet (38 m) above sea level.[11]

Horry County is in the northeastern corner of South Carolina. It is a diverse land made up of rivers, beaches, forests, and swamps, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Little Pee Dee River and Drowning Creek (also known as the Lumber River) on its western side, and North Carolina to the north. The Waccamaw River, around 140 miles (230 km) long, runs through southeastern North Carolina and eastern South Carolina into Horry County. The river runs through the coastal plain, along the eastern border between the two states, and into the Atlantic Ocean.[12]

National protected area

State and local protected areas/sites

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

Horry County, South Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980[15]Pop 1990[16]Pop 2000[17]Pop 2010[18]Pop 2020[19]% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)77,553116,284157,040208,096style='background: #ffffe6; |265,72976.47%80.72%79.87%77.28%style='background: #ffffe6; |75.70%
Black or African American alone (NH)22,07525,05230,20635,753style='background: #ffffe6; |39,36721.77%17.39%15.36%13.28%style='background: #ffffe6; |11.21%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1153307421,075style='background: #ffffe6; |1,1740.11%0.23%0.38%0.40%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.33%
Asian alone (NH)3501,0891,4812,774style='background: #ffffe6; |4,5780.35%0.76%0.75%1.03%style='background: #ffffe6; |1.30%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x [20]x [21]80232style='background: #ffffe6; |303xx0.04%0.09%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.09%
Other race alone (NH)18839189395style='background: #ffffe6; |1,4220.19%0.03%0.10%0.15%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.41%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x [22]x [23]1,8344,283style='background: #ffffe6; |14,152xx0.93%1.59%style='background: #ffffe6; |4.03%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)1,1381,2595,05716,683style='background: #ffffe6; |24,3041.12%0.87%2.57%6.20%style='background: #ffffe6; |6.92%
Total101,419144,053196,629269,291style='background: #ffffe6; |351,029 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 351,029 and 89,281 families. The median age was 49.0 years, with 17.4% of residents under the age of 18 and 26.8% 65 years of age or older; for every 100 females there were 92.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.5 males age 18 and over.[24]

The racial makeup of the county was 77.1% White, 11.4% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.5% from some other race, and 6.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.9% of the population.[25]

75.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 24.4% lived in rural areas.[26]

There were 150,221 households in the county, of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 27.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[24]

There were 203,702 housing units, of which 26.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.9% were owner-occupied and 26.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 18.2%.[24]

2010 census

At the 2010 census, 269,291 people, 112,225 households, and 72,254 families resided in the county.[27][28] The population density was 237.5 inhabitants per square mile (91.7 /km2). The 185,992 housing units averaged 164.0 inhabitants per square mile (63.3 /km2).[29] The racial makeup of the county was 79.9% White, 13.4% Black or African American, 1.0% Asian, 0.5% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.1% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.2% of the population.[27] In terms of ancestry, 15.3% were American, 13.4% were African American (which can include other ethnicities), 13.3% were Irish, 12.8% were German, 11.3% were English, and 6.1% were Italian.[30]

Of the 112,225 households, 27.3% had children under 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.6% were not families, and 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.37, and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 41.1 years.[27]

The median income for a household in the county was $43,142 and for a family was $51,608. Males had a median income of $37,351 versus $29,525 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,811. About 11.6% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.[31]

Law, government, and politics

State delegation

Horry County has a South Carolina House of Representatives delegation made up of 10 state representatives. In addition, the county has a South Carolina Senate delegation made up of five state senators. The delegations work concurrently to represent county issues in Columbia.

State House of Representatives delegation

The county's State House of Representatives delegation is currently made up of:

DistrictRepresentativePartyResidence
55Jackie E. HayesDemDillon
56Tim McGinnisRepMyrtle Beach
57Lucas AtkinsonDemMarion
58Jeff JohnsonRepConway
68Heather Ammons CrawfordRepMyrtle Beach
103Carl AndersonDemGeorgetown
104William BaileyRepNorth Myrtle Beach
105Kevin HardeeRepLoris
106Val Guest, Jr.RepMyrtle Beach
107Case BrittainRepMyrtle Beach

State Senate delegation

The county's State Senate delegation is currently made up of:

DistrictRepresentativePartyResidence
28Greg HembreeRepublicanNorth Myrtle Beach
30Kent M. WilliamsDemocraticMarion
32Ronnie A. SabbDemocraticGreeleyville
33Luke A. RankinRepublicanConway
34Stephen GoldfinchRepublicanMurrells Inlet

County council

The county council of Horry County consists of members who represent 11 single-member districts with a chairman voted at-large. The county council meets at the Horry County Government and Justice Center in the first week of every month.[32] Patricia S. Hartley is the clerk to council, members of the county council include:[33][34]

Current county council members

NameDistrictTerm Expires
Johnny GardnerChairmanDecember 31, 2026
Jenna L. Dukes1December 31, 2026
Bill Howard2December 31, 2026
Dennis J. DiSabato, Jr.3December 31, 2024
Gary Loftus4December 31, 2024
Tyler Servant5December 31, 2026
Cam Crawford6December 31, 2024
Tom Anderson7December 31, 2026
Michael Masciarelli8December 31, 2026
R. Mark Causey9December 31, 2024
Danny Hardee10December 31, 2024
Al Allen11December 31, 2022

Past composition of the county council

PeriodYearChairman (at-large)District 1District 2District 3District 4District 5District 6District 7District 8District 9District 10District 11
Past2007Liz GillandHarold WorleyUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownAl Allen
2008
2009Marion FoxworthGary LoftusUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownW. Paul PrinceJody Prince
2010
2011Tom RiceBrent SchulzPaul PriceUnknownCarl SchwartzkopfJames Frazier
2012
2013Bob Grabowski*
2014
2015Mark LazarusBill HowardTyler ServantJames FrazierJohnny VaughtBob Grabowski*
2016
2017Dennis DiSabatoCam CrawfordDanny Hardee
2018
2019Johnny GardnerOrton Bellamy
2020
Current2021R. Mark Causey
2022
  • Note: Bob Grabowski's seat was renumbered from District 6 to District 8 during the redistricting of council seats.

Law enforcement

The Horry County Police Department provides 24-hour services to the unincorporated areas of the county. It is the only county police department in South Carolina.[35] The Horry County Sheriff's Office is responsible for courthouse security, processing of warrants, fingerprinting, registration of sex offenders, funeral escorts, background checks, and managing the J. Reuben Long Detention Center.[36] The South Carolina Highway Patrol has a Troop 5 barracks in Conway, and provides services throughout the county.[37] Myrtle Beach, Conway, Briarcliffe Acres, Atlantic Beach, Surfside Beach, Loris, and Aynor all have their own police departments, which patrol within the relevant town or city's border. North Myrtle Beach has a Public Safety Department, which provides police and fire services in the city of North Myrtle Beach.[38]

In March 2020, Todd Cox, a former Horry County police officer, was fined $300 for failing to investigate reports of sex crimes against children.[39] He and three other officers had been indicted in 2016 on charges of coercing sex and ignoring cases.[40]

Party strength

Horry County used to be loyally Democratic, even by the standards of the Solid South. In 1936, Republican candidate Alf Landon did not receive a single vote in Horry County. In 1964, though, Barry Goldwater carried the county by a margin almost as large as John F. Kennedy's 1960 margin. It has voted Republican in every election since, with the exception of supporting the third-party candidacy of Alabama Governor George Wallace in 1968 and neighboring Georgia's Jimmy Carter in 1976. While conservative Democrats continued to hold most local offices into the 1990s, today, there are almost no elected Democrats left above the county level. No Democratic presidential candidate has received more than 40% of the county's vote since 2000. Like Greenville County, it is exceptionally conservative for an urban county.

Economy

See also: Economy of South Carolina#Lowcountry tourism

In 2022, the GDP was $18.3 billion (about $45,922 per capita),[41] and the real GDP was $15.3 billion (about $38,472 per capita) in chained 2017 dollars.[42]

In 2013, PTR Industries, a gunmaker,[43] relocated to the Cool Springs Business Park[44] near Aynor from Bristol, Connecticut. That state had passed restrictive gun control legislation following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Twenty-one PTR employees relocated from Bristol. The company stated that it would hire an additional 30 workers in the first quarter of 2014, with a goal of having 120 employees by 2017.[45]

As of April 2024, some of the largest employers in the county include Adidas, the city of Myrtle Beach, Coastal Carolina University, Food Lion, Hilton Grand Vacations, Publix, and Walmart.[46]

Employment and Wage Statistics by Industry in Horry County, South Carolina - Q3 2023[46]
IndustryEmployment CountsEmployment Percentage (%)Average Annual Wage ($)
Accommodation and Food Services34,73623.729,588
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services8,4985.842,744
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting2110.149,608
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation5,8314.026,260
Construction8,7916.059,644
Educational Services8,7716.059,592
Finance and Insurance3,2032.277,532
Health Care and Social Assistance17,44811.962,556
Information1,8131.265,468
Management of Companies and Enterprises5150.479,300
Manufacturing3,5342.452,208
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction690.074,204
Other Services (except Public Administration)3,7132.537,492
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services4,8153.368,796
Public Administration6,8594.756,836
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing4,7873.344,356
Retail Trade26,72018.235,152
Transportation and Warehousing3,1412.148,568
Utilities6290.473,892
Wholesale Trade2,7301.961,308
Total146,814100.0%45,424

Transportation

Major highways

  • (Conway 1)
  • (Conway 2)
  • (Red Hill 1)
  • (Red Hill 2)

Airports

Mass transit

  • The Coast RTA[47] bus system operates seven days a week, 364 days a year, on 15 routes throughout the Horry County/Grand Strand area, including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City, Conway, Loris, and Aynor.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities & neighborhoods

See also

References

  1. ^ "Zip Code List - 295 in South Carolina". Capital Impact Government Gateway. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  2. ^ "QuickFacts: Horry County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 161
  5. ^ "Horry County 2011-2012 Budget: Community Profile on page 24". May 16, 2012. Archived May 16, 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  6. ^ Dickerson, Brad (October 29, 2012). "Horry County honors its namesake". The Sun News. Archived from the original on October 31, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
  7. ^ Williams, Taylor (October 29, 2012). "Horry County unveils sculpture of its namesake". WPDE. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  8. ^ "Sculpture of Gen. Peter Horry being unveiled". ABC Columbia. October 30, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  9. ^ "2020 County Gazetteer Files – South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  10. ^ "At times, like now, modest tax increases are absolutely necessary". The Sun News. June 13, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  11. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 16, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2012. Horry County 2011-2012 Budget: Community Profile on page 24
  12. ^ "A Historical Look at Horry County". Archived from the original on June 26, 2012.
  13. ^ "SCDNR Public Lands". www2.dnr.sc.gov. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  14. ^ "Dunes Lake, South Carolina". Lake-Link. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  15. ^ "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics- South Carolina - Table 15. Persons by Race and Table 16. Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race". HathiTrust. United States Census Bureau. p. 12-21.
  16. ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics- South Carolina - Table 5 and Table 6. Race and Hispanic Origin: 1990". United States Census Bureau. p. 11-37. Archived October 9, 2024 at the Wayback Machine.
  17. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Horry County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau
  18. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Horry County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau
  19. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Horry County, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau
  20. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  21. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  22. ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
  23. ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
  24. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  25. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  26. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  27. ^ "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  28. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  29. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  30. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  31. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  32. ^ "County Council". Horry County Government. February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  33. ^ "Pat Hartley". LinkedIn. February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  34. ^ "Home | SCVotes". scvotes.gov. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  35. ^ "Horry County Government: Police Department Info Page". horrycounty.org. Horry County Government. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  36. ^ "Horry County Government: Sheriff's Office Info Page". horrycounty.org. Horry County Government. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  37. ^ Retrieved 2011-06-04
  38. ^ "City of North Myrtle Beach - Public Safety". City of North Myrtle Beach - Public Safety. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  39. ^ Lang, Alex (March 9, 2020). "Horry County officer charged with not investigating child sex crimes gets $300 fine". Myrtle Beach Sun News. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  40. ^ Collins, Jeffrey (September 16, 2016). "Indictments: Former SC officers coerced sex; ignored cases". Associated Press. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  41. ^ U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2001-01-01). "Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Horry County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
  42. ^ U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2001-01-01). "Real Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Horry County, SC". FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
  43. ^ "PTR Industries". Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  44. ^ "Cool Springs Business Park". Archived from the original on January 8, 2014.
  45. ^ Miller, Joshua (January 7, 2014). "Locked & loaded: Gun maker finds warmer surroundings in South Carolina after leaving Connecticut". Fox News. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  46. ^ "Horry County". Community Profiles. ' (4000051). Columbia, SC: S.C. Department of Employment & Workforce - Business Intelligence Department. April 19, 2024.
  47. ^ "Coast RTA". coastrta.com

Further reading

  • Horry County, South Carolina, 1730-1993, Catherine Heniford Lewis, University of South Carolina Press, 1998, ISBN 1-57003-207-6