County food-access profile · South Carolina
Horry County, SC
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Horry County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 23.4%
- low-access pop.
- 8
- food-desert tracts
- 7.5%
- on SNAP
- 383K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
23.4% of Horry County residents live in a low-access area, and 8 of its 71 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 24
- low-access tracts
- 23K
- food-desert residents
- 4.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 13.2%
- below poverty line
Low access = living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket. Food deserts add a low-income condition (USDA LILA, 1-and-10-mile measure).
USDA data puts Horry County's low-access share at 23.4%, above the national share. 24 of the county's 71 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 63,072 people. 8 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 22,533 low-income residents.
How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts
The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.
How Horry County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Horry County's 23.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 55% of them and ranked #1,413 most-affected nationwide.
Horry County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 71 census tracts in Horry County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Horry County vs. other South Carolina counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in South Carolina
- Horry
Horry County, SC
23.4 % low-access
- Abbeville
Abbeville County, SC
20.4 % low-access
- Aiken
Aiken County, SC
29.1 % low-access
- Allendale 2.3
Allendale County, SC
2.3 % low-access
- Anderson
Anderson County, SC
36.1 % low-access
- Bamberg
Bamberg County, SC
27.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 71 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 269,291 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 24 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 8 |
| Low-Access Population | 63,072 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.4%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 22,533 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 383,016 |
| Median Household Income | $66,880 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.2%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 11,900 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 7.5%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.8%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.8% |
About 7.5% of Horry County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 23.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 7.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 11,900 households here.
- 4.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 8 tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).
USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).
What the food-access data shows for Horry County
above the national share
8 of Horry County's 71 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 11.3% of all its tracts.
A further 16 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 24.
An estimated 63,072 residents, roughly 23.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 22,533 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 47 tracts (66.2%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Horry County
Horry County has 389 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 138 locations (35% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 138
- 4-way fuel, conway
- 7-eleven 41635, myrtle beach
- 7-eleven 41843h, conway
- 7-eleven 41875h, murrells inlet
- 7-eleven 42386h, myrtle beach
- 7-eleven 42644h, loris
- 7-eleven #42232a 42232a, myrtle beach
- 7-eleven #42241a 42241a, myrtle beach
- 7-eleven 42353a, myrtle beach
- 701 stop, conway
- 707 discount tobacco and beverage, myrtle beach
- allsbrook grocery, loris
- atlantic ice cream, myrtle beach
- aynor food mart, aynor
- boulineau's express, north myrtle beach
- cash grocery, myrtle beach
- circle k 2703187, conway
- circle k 2707061, myrtle beach
- circle k 2707272, myrtle beach
- circle k 2708114, myrtle beach
- circle k 2720431, myrtle beach
- circle k 2721518, myrtle beach
- circle k 2721526, myrtle beach
- circle k 2721653, conway
- circle k 272273, myrtle beach
- circle k 2723057, north myrtle beach
- circle k 2723059, myrtle beach
- circle k 2723061, north myrtle beach
- circle k 2723062, surfside beach
- circle k 2723063, myrtle beach
- circle k 2723064, myrtle beach
- circle k 2723066, north myrtle beach
- circle k 2723071, myrtle beach
- circle k 2723073, myrtle beach
- circle k 2723140, little river
- circle k 2723150, conway
- circle k 2723221, myrtle beach
- circle k 2723225, conway
- circle k 2723241, myrtle beach
- circle k 272338, myrtle beach
- circle k 2723482, surfside beach
- circle k 2723484, north myrtle beach
- circle k 2723490, myrtle beach
- circle k 2723881, conway
- circle k 2723920, longs
- circle k 272422, north myrtle beach
- circle k 272461, little river
- circle k 272479, myrtle beach
- circle k 272482, little river
- circle k 2725049, north myrtle beach
- circle k 272792, surfside beach
- circle k 272853, myrtle beach
- circle k 272909, myrtle beach
- circle k 272910, myrtle beach
- circle k 8111, myrtle beach
- clover farm, loris
- coastal carolina university main street, conway
- coastal pantry 3, murrells inlet
- coastal pantry 4, north myrtle beach
- country roads, loris
- d&s handimart (sun-do), conway
- dodge store 8701, north myrtle beach
- el tambor, myrtle beach
- flowers bakery outlet 1170, myrtle beach
- good service mini mart, conway
- grab & go, myrtle beach
- hot spot 2024, loris
- john's mart, conway
- kahuna market, myrtle beach
- la olanchana latin store 1, conway
- la tienda mexicana la antigua, myrtle beach
- longs gas & mart, longs
- lr mart # 1, little river
- murphy express 8632, myrtle beach
- mahadev grocery, conway
- market express 17394, longs
- md beach food mart, myrtle beach
- mexican store la pasadita, myrtle beach
- midland panthers, galivants ferry
- minuteman food mart 36, longs
- minuteman food mart 47, myrtle beach
- minuteman food mart 52, loris
- minuteman food mart 53, myrtle beach
- minuteman food mart 57, myrtle beach
- minuteman food mart 61, aynor
- minuteman food mart 63, conway
- money saver, loris
- murphy express 8573, conway
- murphy express 8585, conway
- murphy express 8663, garden city
- murphy express 8717, myrtle beach
- murphy express 8892, surfside beach
- murphy usa 7228, surfside beach
- murphy usa 7618, myrtle beach
- murphy usa 7752, myrtle beach
- murphy usa 7911, north myrtle beach
- myrtle beach exxon, myrtle beach
- myrtle beach general store, myrtle beach
- myrtle beach sunoco, myrtle beach
- mystic sea mini mart, north myrtle beach
- pmg pm 68, little river
- pmg pm 72, little river
- palmetto express, conway
- palmetto food, myrtle beach
- panthers express, conway
- parker's 114, conway
- parker's 129, murrells inlet
- parker's 130, murrells inlet
- pee dee sunoco, galivants ferry
- peedee exchange, conway
- quick mart 2, loris
- quick way food market, myrtle beach
- quickshop, conway
- quik mart, conway
- rani's conv. store, longs
- refuel 1051, myrtle beach
- refuel 1052, north myrtle beach
- refuel 1053, surfside beach
- refuel 1054, myrtle beach
- refuel 1057, murrells inlet
- refuel 1058, little river
- refuel 1063, conway
- refuel 70, myrtle beach
- refuel 73, conway
- scotchman 3029, conway
- scotchman 3053, myrtle beach
- scotchman 3058, conway
- scotchman 3060, myrtle beach
- scotchman 3064, myrtle beach
- scotchman 3106, myrtle beach
- scotchman 3117, myrtle beach
- scotchman 3121, myrtle beach
- scotchman 3124, murrells inlet
- scotchman 3133, conway
- scotchman 3159, n myrtle beach
- scotchman 3221, myrtle beach
- scotchman 3222, myrtle beach
- scotchman 3223, myrtle beach
Combination Grocery/Other · 112
- big lots 3301, conway
- big lots 3302, north myrtle beach
- cvs pharmacy 1194, loris
- cvs pharmacy 1540, myrtle beach
- cvs pharmacy 2736, murrells inlet
- cvs pharmacy 3567, myrtle beach
- cvs pharmacy 3851, conway
- cvs pharmacy 5044, myrtle beach
- cvs pharmacy 5515, surfside
- cvs pharmacy 5516, myrtle beach
- cvs pharmacy 5524, little river
- cvs pharmacy 7040, little river
- cvs pharmacy 7366, north myrtle beach
- cvs pharmacy 7396, north myrtle beach
- cvs pharmacy 7654, conway
- cvs pharmacy 8492, myrtle beach
- cvs pharmacy 8936, murrells inlet
- cvs pharmacy 175, myrtle beach
- dollar general 11075, conway
- dollar general 11095, myrtle beach
- dollar general 11171, conway
- dollar general 11217, myrtle beach
- dollar general 11244, green sea
- dollar general 18142, conway
- dollar general 18821, conway
- dollar general 1885, myrtle beach
- dollar general 3052, conway
- dollar general 3378, conway
- dollar general 3812, loris
- dollar general 6041, aynor
- dollar general 7315, n myrtle bch
- dollar general 7814, myrtle beach
- dollar general 8282, murrells inlet
- dollar general 8514, myrtle beach
- dollar general 8531, conway
- dollar general 9616, conway
- dollar tree 2519, n myrtle bch
- dollartree 6913, aynor
- dollartree 9960, north myrtle beach
- dollar general 10182, surfside beach
- dollar general 10505, conway
- dollar general 10867, longs
- dollar general 11348, conway
- dollar general 11432, north myrtle beach
- dollar general 11502, myrtle beach
- dollar general 11568, little river
- dollar general 12256, conway
- dollar general 12407, longs
- dollar general 12633, myrtle beach
- dollar general 12795, conway
- dollar general 12955, myrtle beach
- dollar general 13393, conway
- dollar general 15768, loris
- dollar general 16355, murrells inlet
- dollar general 17144, loris
- dollar general 17386, myrtle beach
- dollar general 17805, conway
- dollar general 17838, myrtle beach
- dollar general 18089, little river
- dollar general 21071, myrtle beach
- dollar general 21354, conway
- dollar general 22765, myrtle beach
- dollar general 22769, conway
- dollar general 23845, myrtle beach
- dollar general 24099, myrtle beach
- dollar general 25808, myrtle beach
- dollar general 2870, myrtle beach
- dollar general 30126, loris
- dollar general 30315, aynor
- dollar general 30445, myrtle beach
- dollar general 30655, conway
- dollar general 31105, loris
- dollar general 6975, myrtle beach
- dollar general store 17149, longs
- dollar general store 17362, little river
- dollar tree 0205, myrtle beach
- dollar tree 105, murrells inlet
- dollar tree 1398, myrtle beach
- dollar tree 4310, little river
- dollar tree 4328, myrtle beach
- dollar tree 516, myrtle beach
- dollar tree 5287, myrtle beach
- dollar tree 5566, myrtle beach
- dollar tree 7813, conway
- dollar tree 7907, surfside beach
- dollar tree 960, conway
- el super de myrtle beach, myrtle beach
- family dollar 13236, green sea
- family dollar 287, surfside beach
- family dollar 3581, conway
- family dollar 4657, loris
- family dollar 7877, myrtle beach
- family dollar 8335, myrtle beach
- family dollar store 10, myrtle beach
- family dollar store 3972, myrtle beach
- family dollar store 62, north myrtle beach
- family dollar store 6977, little river
- family dollar store 7970, conway
- family dollar store 8043, longs
- hong kong supermarket, myrtle beach
- kendall's produce, conway
- loris cold storage and retail, loris
- stevens farms produce, loris
- walgreens 06077, murrells inlet
- walgreens 10814, north myrtle beach
- walgreens 11630, myrtle beach
- walgreens 11636, myrtle beach
- walgreens 13995, myrtle beach
- walgreens 6687, north myrtle beach
- walgreens 6877, myrtle beach
- walgreens 6898, myrtle beach
- walgreens 7154, conway
Showing 250 of 389 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in South Carolina
Compare Horry County vs Abbeville County → · All South Carolina counties →
Food access nationally, South Carolina in context
Horry County sits inside South Carolina (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Horry County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Horry County? ▼
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Is Horry County a food desert? ▼
What share of Horry County households lack a vehicle? ▼
Data Sources & Methodology
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →
Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).
Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.