North Myrtle Beach receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hardeeville
North Myrtle Beach
Opportunity
73 · Top 18%
vs69 · Top 24%
Growth
86 · Top 1%
vs87 · Top 1%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs85 · Top 9%
Physical resilience
7 · Bottom 2%
vs21 · Bottom 15%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 24%
vs67 · Bottom 29%
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs91 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs31 · Bottom 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Hardeeville | North Myrtle Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,871 | 19,855 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,365 | $72,722 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,646 | $51,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 181/sq mi | 885/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $488,900 | $416,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,406 | $1,263 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.8% | 82.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.6% | 39.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 7.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,469 | 1,008 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 135.1 | 50.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.2% | 21.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 48.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 22.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 61.4 | 61.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.21 | 15.78 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Hardeeville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
North Myrtle Beach
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Hardeeville
55
Your Score
53
Area Score
North Myrtle Beach
64
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Hardeeville, SC · North Myrtle Beach, SC · How this is calculated: methodology