Florence vs Myrtle Beach
Florence, South Carolina versus Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Florence and Myrtle Beach score about the same overall (45 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Florence | Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $56k | $51k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $50k |
| Home Value | $176k | $288k |
| Monthly Rent | $868 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.44% | 0.38% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.50% | 7.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.25% | 11.02% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 4.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 46°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 82°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.6 in | 53.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.4 in | 0.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 263 days | 263 days |
| Summer Humidity | 71°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 96 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 74.3 | 87.5 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 57.4 | 47.6 |
| Violent Crime | 3678/100k | 4274/100k |
| Property Crime | 5575/100k | 6721/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 39,931 | 36,064 |
| Median Age | 38.0 | 47.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.56 | 0.44 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.84 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+34 |
| White (%) | 42.6% | 68.6% |
| Black (%) | 50.3% | 15.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.4% | 11.4% |
| Asian (%) | 2.7% | 0.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 1.9% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 8.6/20 | 9.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 89 mi | 88 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 77.8% | 87.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 38.57 | 83.19 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Florence or Myrtle Beach more affordable?
- Florence has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Florence's $45k and Myrtle Beach's $50k. Median rent is $868 in Florence versus $1k in Myrtle Beach.
- Is Florence or Myrtle Beach safer?
- Florence has the lower violent crime rate. Florence reports 3678/100k and Myrtle Beach reports 4274/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Florence or Myrtle Beach?
- The median home value is $176k in Florence and $288k in Myrtle Beach, so homes are more affordable in Florence.