Signals
Murrells Inlet
Waianae
Opportunity
71 · Top 21%
vs70 · Top 22%
Climate
85 · Top 9%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 13%
vs21 · Bottom 15%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 20%
vs68 · Bottom 31%
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs45 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Murrells Inlet | Waianae | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,044 | 12,918 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,438 | $81,733 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $69,195 | $30,053 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,373/sq mi | 2,395/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $366,000 | $518,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,751 | $1,277 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 86.0% | 66.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 4.8% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.1% | 13.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | 16.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 65°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.5" | 13.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 46.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 60.4 | 37.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.35 | 12.49 | 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
Murrells Inlet
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Waianae
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, wildfire, tsunami.
Your best match
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Murrells Inlet
61
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Waianae
58
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Murrells Inlet, SC · Waianae, HI · How this is calculated: methodology