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Conway, SC

A town of about 27,263 people in Horry County, part of the Myrtle Beach area. Resident comments and photos are about Conway; job numbers cover the wider area.

The Myrtle Beach area:Tourist and resort town · Hotel, restaurant and recreation jobs 2.3x the U.S. share
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What kind of place it is

Growing

Scored the same way as the quiz, against 382 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when Conway scores 70 or higher out of 100.

Growing
96 / 100
Growing faster than 96% of metros

Less so: outdoorsy, historic.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

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Around Conway

Where it is, what's close by, and trails.
Where it is
Conway
Conway in South Carolina
South Carolina in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Conway's center.

5
grocery stores
46
restaurants
3
coffee shops
23
parks
11
playgrounds
5
libraries
1
movie theater
1
live theater
1
museum
7
bookstores
1
comic shop
2
gyms
6
bars
1
pharmacy
2
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of Conway.

Bike lanes and bike paths
0.0 miles
less than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
32 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

Costs of moving here

Rent, the move itself, and getting set up.

What rent costs

Of about 2,932 rented homes in Conway, 96% rent for under $2,000 a month and 98% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 60%
$1,000 to $1,499: 25%
$1,500 to $1,999: 11%
$2,000 to $2,499: 2%
$2,500 to $2,999: 0%
$3,000 or more: 2%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in Conway rents for under $1,000 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about under $2,000 for first month plus a deposit, or up to under $3,000 where landlords also ask for last month.

Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For rent under $1,000, that's a yearly income of about under $36,000.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Moving to South Carolina: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the South Carolina DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: South Carolina voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Schools and childcare

Schools

One public school district serves this county, with about 47,357 students. The county also has 7 public charter schools and 11 private schools. Which public school serves a home depends on its address.

Carolina Forest ElementarySeaside ElementaryForestbrook MiddleCarolina Forest HighSocastee ElementaryAynor ElementaryDaisy ElementaryGreen Sea Floyds ElementaryConway ElementarySouth Conway ElementaryLoris ElementaryMidland ElementaryNorth Myrtle Beach MiddleHomewood ElementaryKingston ElementaryWaccamaw ElementaryPee Dee ElementaryLakewood ElementaryConway MiddleLoris MiddleSocastee HighMyrtle Beach HighGreen Sea Floyds HighConway HighLoris HighNorth Myrtle Beach HighAynor HighPalmetto Bays ElementaryAynor MiddleSt. James HighWaterway ElementaryBridgewater Academy CharterWhittemore Park MiddleMyrtle Beach MiddleSt. James ElementaryForestbrook ElementarySt. James MiddleOcean Bay MiddleOcean Bay ElementaryBlack Water MiddleBurgess ElementaryHcs Early College HighPalmetto Academy of Learning and Success CharterAcademy of Hope CharterPalmetto Academy of Learning Motorsports (Palm)River Oaks ElementaryOcean Drive ElementaryRiverside ElementarySocastee MiddleSt. James IntermediateTen Oaks MiddleMyrtle Beach ElementaryMyrtle Beach Early ChildhoodMyrtle Beach PrimaryHcs Scholars Academy HighCarolina Shores Acceleration AcademyCoastal High SchoolAtlantic Collegiate AcademyRisen Christ Christian Academy (private)Calvary Christian School (private)Grace Christian School (private)St Michael Catholic School (private)Myrtle Beach Seventh-Day Adventist Christian Schoo (private)Bread of Life Christian Academy (private)St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic High School (private)Chabad Jewish Academy (private)Conway Christian School (private)Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach (private)North Myrtle Beach Christian School (private)FLORENCE COUNTYDILLON COUNTYGEORGETOWN COUNTYWILLIAMSBURG COUNTYHORRY COUNTYMARION COUNTYConway
Public Public charter Private County line District that covers the center of Conway: Horry County School District
District and county lines: U.S. Census Bureau. Tap a dot for details. A home's assigned school depends on its address; check with the district before you buy or rent.

Closest public schools to the center of Conway

Elementary
Conway Elementary1.0 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 5 · 593 students · 14.5 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 52%, math 53% (state: reading 52%, math 41%)
South Conway Elementary1.8 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 5 · 622 students · 13 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 54%, math 54% (state: reading 52%, math 41%)
Waccamaw Elementary2.1 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 5 · 1,003 students · 14.8 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 53%, math 48% (state: reading 52%, math 41%)
Middle
Conway Middle0.7 mi
Public
grades 6 to 8 · 630 students · 16.2 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 46%, math 35% (state: reading 52%, math 41%)
Whittemore Park Middle1.2 mi
Public
grades 6 to 8 · 956 students · 15.2 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 37%, math 26% (state: reading 52%, math 41%)
Black Water Middle4.0 mi
Public
grades 6 to 8 · 796 students · 14.7 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 40%, math 31% (state: reading 52%, math 41%)
High school
Conway High1.9 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 1,711 students · 18 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 82%, math 56% (state: reading 52%, math 41%)
Palmetto Academy of Learning Motorsports (Palm)2.5 mi
Public charter
grades 9 to 12 · 190 students · 14.6 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 70 to 79%, math 50 to 59% (state: reading 52%, math 41%)
Hcs Early College High3.8 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 342 students · 16.3 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 95% or more, math 90% or more (state: reading 52%, math 41%)
Private
Conway Christian School2.5 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to 12 · 289 students · 13.4 per teacher
St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic High School8.7 mi
Private
grades 6 to 12 · 75 students · 6.9 per teacher
Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach9.1 mi
Private
grades K to 12 · 527 students · 13.1 per teacher

Straight-line miles from the center of Conway, nearest first. Being closest doesn't mean a school serves a given home. "Passed the state test" is the share of students who scored proficient or better on South Carolina's own reading and math tests in the 2021-22 school year, the latest year the U.S. Department of Education has published for every school. Each state sets its own test and passing bar, so compare schools within the same state, not across states. Test results track family income closely and leave out a lot (teachers, programs, how a school fits your child). For newer results, see the state's school report card.

Public school districts in the county

Horry 01 · Conway
47,357 students · 14.6 students per teacher · 57 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

School choice and pre-K in South Carolina

Going to school in another district
State law lets each district decide whether to take students from other districts. Some do, some don't; ask the district you'd like.
Picking a different school in your district
State law doesn't set a rule for switching schools within a district; it's up to each district.
Free state pre-K
45% of 4-year-olds and 6% of 3-year-olds in South Carolina attend state-funded pre-K (U.S.: 37% and 9%). Spots, hours and who qualifies vary by district.

School choice: state law as summarized by the Education Commission of the States, 50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies (2022). Pre-K: share of children in state-funded pre-K, National Institute for Early Education Research, State of Preschool 2025 Yearbook (2024-25 school year).

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Private schools: NCES Private School Survey, 2021-22. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For programs and newer results, see each district's site and the state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

South Carolina keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$199/week
about $10,300 a year
$138/week
about $7,200 a year
Toddler (2)$185/week
about $9,600 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$181/week
about $9,400 a year
$133/week
about $6,900 a year
School-age$138/week
about $7,200 a year

For an infant at a center: $199/week here, $185 across SC, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 14% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in South Carolina →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

2 colleges in the county around Conway. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Coastal Carolina University · Conway
Public, 4-year · 10,829 students · $11,640 in-state, $29,628 out-of-state
Horry-Georgetown Technical College · Conway
Public, 2-year (community college) · 7,353 students · $4,468 in-district, $8,836 out-of-state

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$339,738
What a typical home sells for across the Myrtle Beach area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026
Cost of living
About 6% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $94 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 93.6 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 30 min at rush hour
To downtown Myrtle Beach, SC, 15 miles. About 28 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
23 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
1 within 15 miles
The nearest is about 12.7 miles from the town center. The largest is about 92,000 sq ft.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL), loaded July 2026
Homeowners insurance
About $2,974 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in SC. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
2 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
26.9 per 100,000 people a year
111 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. SC average: 22.9 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 8.2 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 866 people without housing in the Sumter City & County area (13 counties): 476 in shelters and 390 outside, down from 1,025 in 2024. SC: 8 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$64,623
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.34% of home value a year
About $340 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 5.21%
SC's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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