Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach
City
Myrtle Beach shoreline Broadway at the Beach Myrtle Beach SkyWheel Hollywood Wax Museum Atlantic Coast Line Depot Myrtle Beach State Park
Flag Seal
Motto:  "First in Service"
Interactive map of Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach Location within South Carolina Myrtle Beach Location within the United States
Coordinates: 33°43′49″N 78°52′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	Mark Kruea
• City Council	Members Mark Kruea – Mayor Jackie Vereen Hatley – Mayor Pro Tempore Michael Chestnut John Krajc Clyde H. "Mike" Lowder Philip N. Render, DMD Gregg Smith
Area
• City	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%
Elevation	26 ft (7.9 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	35,682
• Rank	13th in South Carolina
• Density	1,523.7/sq mi (588.32/km2)
• Urban	298,954 (US: 135th)
• Urban density	1,365/sq mi (527.2/km2)
• Metro	397,478 (US: 139th)
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	29572, 29575, 29577, 29578, 29579, 29587, 29588
Area codes	843, 854
FIPS code	45-49075
GNIS feature ID	2404346
Website	cityofmyrtlebeach.com

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Myrtle Beach is a resort city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. 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, on the East Coast of the United States. Its year-round population was 35,682 as of the 2020 census, making it the 13th-most populous city in South Carolina.

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 day US 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 area is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country, with an estimated population of 479,426 in 2024. More than 104,000 people moved to the area over eight years, representing a nearly 28% growth in population.