HousingPermits

Metro area in South Carolina · part of the Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC combined area

Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC

The Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach metro area authorized 6,511 new housing units in 2025, the second-largest total of the 85 metro areas of 250,000 to 499,999 residents. Relative to population, the rate was 17.3 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the fifth-highest rate of the 387 US metro areas. Single-family houses made up 98% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the second-highest share among the 85 metro areas of 250,000 to 499,999 residents.

04,0008,00012k16k2004: 7,068 units (4,253 single-family, 123 in 2–4 unit, 2,692 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 11,828 units (6,471 single-family, 225 in 2–4 unit, 5,132 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 10,335 units (6,484 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 3,723 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 5,268 units (3,813 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 1,446 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,997 units (1,867 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 1,128 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,711 units (1,457 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 254 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,508 units (1,388 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 108 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,776 units (1,481 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 295 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,308 units (2,029 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 225 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 3,173 units (2,605 single-family, 150 in 2–4 unit, 418 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,473 units (3,066 single-family, 67 in 2–4 unit, 340 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,829 units (3,578 single-family, 85 in 2–4 unit, 166 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 4,097 units (3,829 single-family, 146 in 2–4 unit, 122 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 5,245 units (4,656 single-family, 78 in 2–4 unit, 511 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 4,520 units (4,129 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 379 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 4,488 units (4,388 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 30 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 5,419 units (5,007 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 318 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 6,970 units (6,725 single-family, 164 in 2–4 unit, 81 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 7,071 units (6,943 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 87 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 6,513 units (6,356 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 129 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 7,331 units (7,269 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 60 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 6,511 units (6,418 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 77 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 11,8282010 low · 1,50805,00010k15k2004: 7,068 units (4,253 single-family, 123 in 2–4 unit, 2,692 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 11,828 units (6,471 single-family, 225 in 2–4 unit, 5,132 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 10,335 units (6,484 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 3,723 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 5,268 units (3,813 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 1,446 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,997 units (1,867 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 1,128 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,711 units (1,457 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 254 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,508 units (1,388 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 108 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,776 units (1,481 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 295 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,308 units (2,029 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 225 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 3,173 units (2,605 single-family, 150 in 2–4 unit, 418 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,473 units (3,066 single-family, 67 in 2–4 unit, 340 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,829 units (3,578 single-family, 85 in 2–4 unit, 166 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 4,097 units (3,829 single-family, 146 in 2–4 unit, 122 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 5,245 units (4,656 single-family, 78 in 2–4 unit, 511 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 4,520 units (4,129 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 379 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 4,488 units (4,388 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 30 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 5,419 units (5,007 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 318 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 6,970 units (6,725 single-family, 164 in 2–4 unit, 81 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 7,071 units (6,943 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 87 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 6,513 units (6,356 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 129 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 7,331 units (7,269 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 60 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 6,511 units (6,418 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 77 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 11,828

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its population grew 21% between 2020 and 2025, the second-fastest growth among the 387 US metro areas.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Rocky Mount (1.3% in five-plus buildings). Apartment building has lost ground since 2004–2006, when the five-plus share was 40%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2005 (5,132), single-family houses in 2024 (7,269).

2021–202598.0%98%0.7%1.3%2004–200658.9%59%1.6%39.5%40%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202598.0%98%0.7%1.3%2004–200658.9%59%1.6%39.5%40%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 8 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Horry County (unincorporated), with 26,714 units or 78% of the total, followed by North Myrtle Beach with 3,082.

  • Horry County (unincorporated)78% (26,714 units)
  • North Myrtle Beach9% (3,082 units)
  • Myrtle Beach6.2% (2,140 units)
  • Conway5.3% (1,827 units)
  • Atlantic Beach town1% (337 units)
  • Loris0.5% (172 units)
  • Surfside Beach town0.3% (108 units)
  • Aynor town0% (16 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Boom, bust and since

Myrtle Beach authorized the most units in 2005 (11,828); 2025 reached 55% of that. Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Salinas, Brownsville, Ocala. Annual permits fell from 11,828 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,508 in 2010, a drop of 87%. The nearest bust profile in the South Atlantic states was Hagerstown's (87%). The 2021–2025 pace of 6,879 units a year is 29% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 7 years in a row up to 2017. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 11%.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS3,3127.07.2%
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC6,51117.31.3%
Lafayette, LA2,0635.43.6%
Youngstown-Warren, OH2860.60%
Asheville, NC3,2389.238%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Myrtle Beach beside Gulfport

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: South Carolina. Counting rules.