Best In South Carolina Real Estate™: Grand Strand

North Myrtle Beach has the highest housing vacancy rate in South Carolina — 63.9%, according to ALEX Intelligence's latest analysis. This isn't a sign of weakness, but a structural feature of a tourism-driven real estate market. The high vacancy rate reflects a deep pool of available inventory, supporting strong rental demand and flexible capital deployment. This data, drawn from ALEX Intelligence’s proprietary analysis of the 2024 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, underscores how vacancy can be a strategic advantage in coastal markets. For investors and operators, it means faster capital deployment and higher liquidity. For residents, it means more options and competitive pricing. What does this mean for the future of the Grand Strand? Housing Vacancy Rate, top 10 (ALEX Intelligence — U.S. Census Bureau 2024) #1 North Myrtle Beach — 63.9% #2 Garden City — 42.7% #3 Litchfield Beach — 36.2% #4 Little River — 29.5% #5 Myrtle Beach — 27.8% #6 Murrells Inlet — 20.1% #7 Georgetown — 15.5% #8 Red Hill — 11.0% #9 Carolina Forest — 9.5% #10 Forestbrook — 9.2% Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Slide 1: Upstateherd (CC BY-SA 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=64390407; Slide 2: James Willamor (CC BY-SA 3.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=57104244; Slide 3: Dallas Epperson (CC BY-SA 3.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=54010721; Slide 4: Farragutful (CC BY-SA 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=44451440 Source: https://alex-companies.com/data/2026-10-17-grand-strand-vacancy-share-place-mkt View and join any or all of our communities — AI, quantum, and real estate: https://alex-companies.com/reports/linkedin-groups If there's an AI, quantum, or real estate community you'd like to see us convene, tell us — this portfolio grows by request. Real Estate Strategy & Intelligence Leader. Democratized Blue Ocean Strategist & Operator. Diane Hart Alexander, MBA, MHA Chair & CEO, ALEX Companies Designated Broker, Alexander Tiffany Southwest, LLC dba ALEX.realestate, et.al. Texas License #574877-B · Broker License #565194-BB [email protected] · +1 713.591.9902