Horry County,
South Carolina
Relocation Guide
We Welcome You!
Welcome to Horry County
Horry (pronounced O-ree) County was named for Peter Horry, a planter of French Huguenot
descent, who served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the American Revolution and later Brigadier
General in the South Carolina Militia.
After the War of Independence, he represented Prince George, Winyah and All Saints parishes
in the South Carolina House and Senate. In 1801, Kingsont County was renamed Horry
District.
Today, Horry County has a population of 269,29. It is located approximately 100 miles north of
Charleston, South Carolina and approximately 150 miles east of the State Capital, Columbia, South
Carolina. The County has a total area of 1,255 square miles of which 1,134 square miles is land and 121
square miles is water. The highest point in the county is 124 ft. above sea level.
Weather
Average temperature highs and average monthly precipitation based on 30 years of data (degrees Farenhiet) for air and
water temperatures and three years for precipitation.
Month Air Water Precipitation
January 57° 51° 3.08”
February 60° 52° 3.62”
March 66° 57° 4.27”
April 75° 62° 2.82”
May 82° 69° 4.03”
June 87° 77° 5.11”
July 90° 81° 6.09”
August 89° 83° 6.19”
September 84° 80° 5.57”
October 76° 73° 2.73”
November 68° 65° 2.80”
December 59° 55° 3.17”
Annual Weather Statistical Averages
Sunny Days - 215 Overcast Days - 150
Frost Days - 42
Days when maximum temperature is above 90 degrees - 46
Number of sunny days during an average summer month - 18
Number of sunny days in an average winter month - 15
Wettest months - July & August; Driest Months - October and November
Public Education
The Horry County School District serves more than 38,000 students from nine
attendance areas. Horry County is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and
North Carolina to the north and has a land mass larger than the state of Rhode
Island. The district includes 28 elementary schools, 11 middle schools, nine high
schools and two career and technical academies. Conway is also home to Coastal
Carolina University and Horry-Georgetown Technical College.
Newcomers should contact the district office, 488-6700 to find out which school their child will attend. When you go to
the school to register you will need valid birth certificates, proof of immunizations, and documentation of Horry County
residency. A Social Security number for each child is also requested. For more information about Horry County Schools,
please visit their website at www.horrycountyschools.net.
Horry County School Board
The Horry County Board of Education is made up of 12
members, 11 of which are elected from the single member
district and the chairman which is elected at large. Members
serve four-year terms, with elections staggered every two years.
The Vice Chairman is elected by the Board members to serve a
two-year term. The Superintendent of Schools is appointed by
the Board to serve as the chief executive officer for the School
District. The Superintendent advises the Board on matters
concerning management of the schools, as well as
administering laws, regulations and policies adopted by the
Board. The Superintendent of Schools and the administrative
team are responsible for the execution of those policies and the
day-to-day operation of the school and the district.
Horry County School Board Members
Will Garland - Board Chairman
Joe Defeo - Vice Chair District #3
Harvey Eisner - District #1
Karen McIlrath - District #2
Kay Loftus - District #4
Paul Peterson - District #5
Pam Timms - District #6
Paul Hudson - District #7
John Poston - District #8
David Cox - District #9
Neil James - District #10
Trent Hardee - District #11
Employment
Economy
People seeking employment in the Horry County area have many local resources
at their disposal, the main one being the Coastal Workforce Center (CWC). The
CWC is the South Carolina Employment Security Commission’s presence in
Horry County and offers a wide range of assistance to job seekers.
The Center maintains the most up-to-date job listings for many of the area’s
biggest employers that can be accessed via the internet. Other assistance offered by
the Center is access to laser printers, fax machines, telephones and video
conferencing The Center is located at 200-A Victory Lane, just off U.S. Highway
501 and can be reached at 234-9675.
People in search of employment can view the S.C. Employment Security Commission’s online job listings at
www.coastalworkforce.org. South Carolina’s Job Bank can be accessed at www.jobsearch.org/sc and state government jobs
are listed at www.state.sc.us/jobs. For employment in Horry County, you may log onto www.horrycounty.org.
Economic Data Value Rank Value RankJobs 2010 115,784 5 Personal Income 2010, in thousands $7,743,921 6Jobs 2009 116,950 5 Per Capita Personal Income 2010 $28,613 23Jobs 2000 109,682 5 % of U.S. Per Capita PI 2010 72% 23Jobs 1990 75,012 5 Average Wage Per Job 2010 $30,928 39Avg. Ann. Growth Rate Jobs 1990-2010 2.7% 3 % of U.S. Avg. Wage Per Job 2010 66% 39Percent Change Jobs 2009-2010 -1.0% 22 Unemployment Rate 2011 11.5% 24Numeric Change Jobs 2009-2010 -1,166 44
ValueTax Data Value Per Capita Assessed Property 2010 $7,641Assessed Property 2010 $2,057,616,894 Additional Sales Tax, if applicable:County Base Millage Rate 2011 0.0452 Local Option Sales Tax Value of One Mil 2011 $2,027,486 Capital Projects Sales Tax 1.0%Net Taxable Sales FY10 $4,950,655,827 School District Sales Tax Admissions Tax Collected FY10 $8,630,752 Transportation Sales Tax 1.0%Accommodations Tax Collected FY10 $13,625,656
ValueCounty Finance & Employment Data Value Per Capita Revenues FY10 $1,328Total Revenues FY10 $357,729,226 Per Capita Expenditures FY10 $1,100
Recreation: Land & Sea
Whether your idea of recreation is a day of shopping and taking in a show at night, or deep sea fishing and camping by
the seashore, Horry County has something for everyone. Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Conway offer excellent
live theatre experiences including the world renowned Carolina Opry, Alabama Theatre, the Palace Theatre, Pirate’s
Voyage and Conway’s Theatre of the Republic. Shopping in Conway is a trip back in time with a lively downtown area
where you can walk leisurely from shop to shop enjoying fine antiques or that one-of-a-kind item. For a faster pace, Myrtle
Beach offers two Tanger Outlet Malls, Myrtle Beach Mall and the recently built Coastal Grand Mall.
More of an outdoors person? We have miles of seashore and rivers to explore and plenty of opportunity for deep sea
fishing excusrsions, kayaking, dolphin watching, even an off-shore casino boat. There are several state parks where
camping is also available for RVer’s or tent camping. There are hiking trails and horseback riding tours. There is truly
something for everyone to do in Horry County.
Real Estate
Horry County Government
Horry County is experiencing a steady comeback from the economic slow down. Housing sales are beginning to pick up
while interest rates remain low. There are a wide variety of housing options available for your relocation, whether it is for
a large family, couple or single. Here are two links that will help narrow down your search for a new home specifically in
the Conway and Myrtle Beach area.
http://ccar.paragonrels.com/publink/default.aspx?GUID=86811772-00c9-40f6-87b4-09d4d0d72c62&Report=Yes
http://ccar.paragonrels.com/publink/default.aspx?GUID=5ac2327f-08a3-48c2-a83d-65a8fa6b3f70&Report=Yes
To search for homes in all of Horry County, please visit the Coastal Carolinas
Association of REALTORS® at www.ccarsc.org
Other sites that will help you in your search are thinkmyrtlebeach.com, the North
Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce at www.northmyrtlebeachchamber.com and the
Conway Chamber of Commerce at conwayscchamber.com
Tom Rice
Chairman
Harold G. Worley
District #1
Brent Schulz
District #2
Marion Foxworth
District #3
Gary Loftus
District #4
Paul D. Price, Jr.
District #5
Bob Grabowski
District #6
James Frazier
District #7
Carl Shwartzkopf
District #8
W. Paul Prince
District #9
Jody Prince
District #10
Al Allen
District #11
Clerk to Council
Pat Hartley
S.C. Legislators
Sen. Dick Elliott
District #28
Sen. J. Yancey McGill
District #32
Sen. Luke Rankin
District #33
Sen. Raymond Cleary
District #34
Rep. Liston Barfiled
District #58
Rep. Tracy Edge
District #104
Rep. George Hearn
District #105
Rep. Nelson Hardwick
District #106
Rep. Alan Clemmons
District #107
Rep. Thad Viers
District #68
Rep. Jackie E. Hayes
District #55