Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous 60-mile (97 km) stretch of beach known as the "Grand Strand” in the northeastern part of the state. Its year-round population was 35,682 as of the 2020 census, making it the 13th-most populous city in South Carolina.
Myrtle Beach | |
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Flag Seal | |
| Motto: "First in Service" | |
Myrtle Beach Location within South Carolina Myrtle Beach Location within the United States | |
| Coordinates: 33°44′38.67″N 78°52′10.11″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | South Carolina |
| County | Horry |
| Incorporated (town) | March 12, 1938 |
| Incorporated (city) | 1957 |
| Named for | The wax myrtle, an abundant local shrub |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–Council |
| • Mayor | Brenda Bethune |
| • City Council | Members
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| Area | |
| • Total | 23.69 sq mi (61.36 km2) |
| • Land | 23.42 sq mi (60.65 km2) |
| • Water | 0.27 sq mi (0.71 km2) 1.14% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 35,682 |
| • Estimate (2022) | 38,417 |
| • Rank | 13th in South Carolina |
| • Density | 1,523.76/sq mi (588.32/km2) |
| • Urban | 298,954 (US: 135th) |
| • Urban density | 1,365.5/sq mi (527.2/km2) |
| • Metro | 487,722 (US: 107th) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 29572, 29575, 29577, 29578, 29579, 29586, 29587, 29588 |
| Area code(s) | 843, 854 |
| FIPS code | 45-49075 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1249770 |
| Website | www |
Myrtle Beach is one of the major centers of tourism in South Carolina and the United States. The city's warm subtropical climate, miles of beaches, 86 golf courses, and 1,800 restaurants attract over 20 million visitors each year, making Myrtle Beach one of the most visited destinations in the country.
Located along the historic King's Highway (modern U.S. Route 17), the region was once home to the Waccamaw people. During the colonial period, the Whither family settled in the area, and a prominent local waterway, Wither's Swash, is named in their honor. Originally called alternately "New Town" or "Withers", the area was targeted for development as a resort community by Franklin Burroughs, whose sons completed a railroad to the beach and the first inn, Seaside Inn. His widow named the new community Myrtle Beach after the local wax-myrtle shrubs.
The Myrtle Beach metropolitan area is the one of fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country, with a population of 551,126 as of the 2020 census. More than 104,000 people moved to the area over eight years, representing a nearly 28% growth in population.