Myrtle Beach is Most Affordable City People Want to Move to

Dusty Rhodes • November 4, 2019

You may or may not have seen the recent article in USA Today and 24/7 Wall St., but Myrtle Beach was just named the NUMBER 1 most affordable city where people want to live. 


Data was collected from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis to identify the 50 most affordable American metropolitan areas to which Americans are moving. Each city on the list offers a cost of living that is lower than the national average and housing costs that are more in line with incomes. Research also shows that between 2010 and 2018, more people have moved to these cities than have left.


Aside from the data that was collected about the cost of living and general income data, here are some other facts that more than likely have an impact on the desirability of moving to the Grand Strand:

  • Myrtle Beach has 650 acres of public parks and recreation property. That’s slightly more than a square mile, or nearly five percent of the city’s total area. The land includes Grand Park, Whispering Pines Golf Course, some four dozen other parks and, of course, a conservative estimate of the available public beach. 
  • There are also there are 13,651 parcels of real estate in the City of Myrtle Beach. The cost of living in Myrtle Beach is lower than what the average American pays, largely due to the region's affordable housing. The median sale price of a home in Myrtle Beach is several thousand dollars lower than the national median.
  • Mild weather year-round is what draws many newcomers to the Myrtle Beach area. Average high temperatures in the winter hover well above freezing, and snow is rare. Fall and spring days in Myrtle Beach may be some of the most enjoyable, as the temperatures sit in the mid-70s.
  • If there’s a benefit to living in a tourist town, it’s that you can always find an attraction to visit, a new restaurant to try or a festival to attend. 
  • Myrtle Beach caters to its outdoorsy residents with two state parks – Myrtle Beach State Park and Huntington Beach State Park – that feature hiking and biking trails, but the main draw here, without a doubt, is the sprawling beaches. Residents can take advantage of the nearly 60 miles of shoreline that run along the Grand Strand, spending the warm days swimming, fishing, boating or sunbathing. In addition to its coveted coastline, the Myrtle Beach area is peppered with golf courses, many of which were designed by golf greats like Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Arnold Palmer.  
  • Residents also have access to hundreds of restaurants, many of which are locally owned.
  • Families with kids will find many ways to fill school breaks and weekends, from miniature golf to amusement parks to the zoo at Brookgreen Gardens. Meanwhile, live music and cultural events are never hard to find, with the boardwalk and The Market Common hosting many free shows.
  • As a popular vacation destination, Myrtle Beach offers a high number of job opportunities for those in the tourism and hospitality industry. Even if their professions don't revolve around the region's visitors or transplants, Myrtle Beach residents benefit from living in a tourist haven. Those who live here have access to hundreds of quality restaurants, a variety of leisure activities and a jam-packed events calendar.
  • Residents also profit from the area's pro-business atmosphere, propagated by low income taxes and numerous incentives for growing companies. These perks make Myrtle Beach a great place to start a small business.


Dusty Rhodes Properties is the Best Realtor in Myrtle Beach! We do everything in our power to help you find the home of your dreams. With experience, expertise, and passion, we are the perfect partner for you in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We love what we do and it shows. With more than 22 years of experience in the field, we know our industry like the back of our hands. There’s no challenge too big or too small, and we dedicate our utmost energy to every project we take on. We search thousands of the active and new listings from Aynor, Carolina Forest, Conway, Garden City Beach, Longs, Loris, Murrells Inlet, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, and Surfside Beach real estate listings to find the hottest deals just for you!



Sources: 

USA Today Link

24/7 Wall St. Link

VisitMyrtleBeach.com Link Link

US News and World Report Link

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