Georgetown gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $248K for a typical one, or 3.6 years of the Murrells Inlet area’s $69K median household income. It grades C overall, 104th of 167 graded towns in South Carolina. The low prices come with trade-offs. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 98% of U.S. communities, with hurricanes at the top, and the median household income is $57K, and 22% of residents live below the poverty line. Georgetown’s violent crime rate is 9.2 per 1,000 residents, above both the South Carolina town median (3.9) and the median of U.S. towns (1.6). On history, just 12 of South Carolina’s 263 towns do better.

StrongestAHistory A⁻Cost of livingWeakestD⁻Hazard risk DJobs & income

What makes Georgetown stand out

Where Georgetown beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Joseph H. Rainey House

HistoryA

Settled in 1729

8 places on the National Register

A history going back 297 years.

Jobs vs. working residents

Jobs here7,178

Residents who work3,657

Work

2 jobs for every working resident

A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 93% of U.S. towns

Census LEHD 2023.

Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD⁻

Hurricanes and inland flooding at the top

FEMA National Risk Index.

Joseph H. Rainey House · National Register of Historic Places

Georgetown’s story

297 years in pictures

Joseph H. Rainey House is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1729, comes before those of 96% of the South Carolina towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 1,628 in 1850, a peak of 12,261 in 1960, 8,403 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1896 and 2 maps from 1943 on.

8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1729Georgetown is settled

Explore the history →

How Georgetown grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Georgetown is from typical.

How grading works

Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listD⁻Open →Jobs & incomeDOpen →Cost of livingA⁻Open →HealthTidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital 0.6 miles awayC⁺Open →SchoolsC⁺Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 13.2% of households have no car; 1.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors2 miles of trails; 3% conserved landBOpen →History33 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life7.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

ClimateCold winters, 90° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market109 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 46.3–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Georgetown: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Georgetown, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerCity of GeorgetownEIAHIFLD · EIA

WaterGeorgetown City of (Sc2210001) water system2 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Georgetown’s trash rules yet

SchoolsGeorgetown County School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn South Carolina you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereGeorgetown Board of Voter RegistrationGeorgetown County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2024

ZIP code2944029440 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Georgetown.

Georgetown trades lower home prices for longer drives to work and draws workers from Litchfield Beach and beyond, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of South Carolina (mostly hurricanes).

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

About one in four working residents works right in Georgetown

7,178 jobs are based in Georgetown, 2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.

About one in 4 of Georgetown’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Georgetown has lost 1,523 jobs, to 7,178 in 2023. Georgetown’s average trip to work is 23 minutes.

25%work in town

	Georgetown	South Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	25%	6.1%	8%
Average trip to work	23 minutes	24 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$57,000	$57,000	$80,000

Where working residents work

In Georgetown25%

Litchfield Beach4%

Myrtle Beach4%

North Charleston4%

Charleston3%

23 mi

median commute distance

7,178

jobs based in Georgetown

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

B−

Walkability grade: more walkable than 51% of U.S. towns

Full pageGeorgetown’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here7,178 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work25% work in Georgetown Commute times23 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 23 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

SchoolsC⁺

On state tests, Georgetown’s schools trail 57% of South Carolina districts

Its public schools are run by the Georgetown 01 school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Georgetown High, with 918 students.

43%of SC districts it outscoresC⁺School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Georgetown MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	671	D
Georgetown HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	918	B⁺

Full pageGeorgetown’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsGeorgetown 01 Every school4 schools · Georgetown High Questions“Are Georgetown’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D⁻

Georgetown faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by hurricanes

FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 95% of South Carolina towns; that rating is what its D− for hazard risk is built on. 333 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 38 properties have flooded more than once.

Since 1979, 333 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Georgetown. Only 8 of the 169 South Carolina towns we compare have a higher FEMA risk score than Georgetown.

98risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

HurricanesInland floodingEarthquakes

333

paid flood claims since 1979

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageGeorgetown’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesVery high risk Flood claims333 paid flood claims · Since 1979 Past disasters10 federal disasters · Paid out in Georgetown Get ready0.3 events a year, on average · Ready for hurricanes

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Georgetown has four seasons and hot summers

July afternoons average 89.5°: hotter than most of the country, but cooler than 87% of South Carolina places with climate records; January nights average 37°.

Georgetown has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The January low in Georgetown is 37°F.

90°summer high

	Georgetown	South Carolina towns	U.S. towns
January low	37°F	34°F	22°F
July high	90°F	91°F	85°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter39–60°

Spring53–74°

Summer71–88°

Fall56–76°

Nov 24

typical first frost

Mar 12

typical last frost

+0.7°

vs. the 20th-century average

90°

typical summer high

Full pageGeorgetown’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 90°, January lows 37°Rain & snow53″ of rain a year · Rain a year Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+0.7° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HousingCost of living grade A⁻

For cost of living, Georgetown earns an A−

Homes are within reach (about $248K for the typical one, A− for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 23 miles. 67.1% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 52.1% across South Carolina.

The typical Georgetown home is worth about $248,000, down 0.7% in a year, 19% below the South Carolina typical home.

$248KZillow home value

	Georgetown	South Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Median rent	$780 a month	$1,062 a month	$1,185 a month
Households that own their home	72%	65%	73%

Typical home value

Georgetown$248K

South Carolina$304K

Market temperature

109

days on market

96.7%

sale-to-list price

−0.7%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageGeorgetown’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 0.7% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 4.4 years of income Rents$780 a month · Median rent

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

OutdoorsB

Georgetown has set aside 3.3% of its land for conservation

1.9 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves.

#64for trails in SC

	Georgetown	South Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Conserved land	3.3%	1.7%	4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile	0.3 miles per square mile	0.3	0.4

3.3%

conserved · 159 of 4,826 acres

1.9 mi

of trails · 0.3 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. East Bay Park - Sports Fields	0.5 mi	14
2. Carroll Ashmore Campbell Marine Complex	0.2 mi	16
3. Mike Johnson Park	—	5

Full pageGeorgetown’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map1.9 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk0.5 miles of trail · East Bay Park - Sports Fields Conserved land3.3% conserved · 159 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Georgetown?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

HealthC⁺

Health in Georgetown trails 60% of U.S. towns

Against the 8,015 U.S. towns with household incomes like Georgetown’s, it is healthier than 68%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income.

Georgetown beats the South Carolina average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 18% of adults have diabetes in Georgetown.

40%healthier than U.S. townsC⁺Health Grade

	Georgetown	South Carolina towns	U.S. towns
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	18%	15%	12%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	44%	40%	35%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	13%	15%	16%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)	84%	80%	79%

32 measures vs. South Carolina

2 better23 too close to call7 worse

What stands out	Georgetown	SC
More adults treating high blood pressure	82.8%	80.2%
More adults getting cholesterol checked	88.8%	86.9%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	11.9%	8.9%

Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital

0.6 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

56th

percentile among SC towns

Full pageGeorgetown’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer binge drinkers Hospitals & doctors nearby0.6 miles to an ER · Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than SC on 2 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Safety

Crime reported in Georgetown

Georgetown's reported crime rate is well above South Carolina's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 82 violent crimes were reported in 2025.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Georgetown9.2

South Carolina3.9

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Georgetown33.2

South Carolina17.1

U.S.15.5

violent crimes reported in 2025

297

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageGeorgetown’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type9.2 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsReported crime since 2023 Questions“Is Georgetown, SC safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Georgetown

20pages on Georgetown

After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Georgetown; the nearest are

Coastal Carolina UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Conway33 mi$11,640 in-state tuition Horry-Georgetown Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Conway33.3 mi$4,468 in-state tuition

About 4 of every 100 Georgetown residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A job hub

Every workday, about 6,269 people come to Georgetown for work

Where Georgetown’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

7,178jobs based in Georgetown

25%of working residents work in town

23 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Landmarks

8 places in Georgetown on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Joseph H. Rainey HouseNational Historic Landmark

Old Market Building

Prince George Winyah Church (Episcopal) and Cemetery

Georgetown Historic District

Famous people from Georgetown

33 notable people were born in Georgetown.

See all 33 →

Melissa Jefferson-WoodenAmerican athlete · born 2001

Anthuan MaybankAmerican athletics competitor · born 1969

Joseph RaineyPolitician · 1832–1887

Clayton GeathersAmerican football player · born 1992

Jake FordBasketball player · 1946–1996

Jacquelyn GrantAmerican feminist and theologian · born 1948

About Georgetown

City in South Carolina, United States

Official town website ↗

Georgetown is the third-oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and the county seat of Georgetown County, in the Lowcountry. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 8,403, a decrease from the 2010 census of 9,163. Located on Winyah Bay at the confluence of the Black, Great Pee Dee, Waccamaw, and Sampit rivers, Georgetown is the second largest seaport in South Carolina, handling over 960,000 tons of materials a year, while Charleston is the largest. Beginning in the colonial era, Georgetown was the commercial center of an indigo- and rice-producing area. Rice replaced indigo as the chief commodity crop in the antebellum era. A timber industry also developed and sawmills were bui…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1729
Area: 7.5 sq mi
Elevation: 13 ft
ZIP code: 29440, 29442
Area code: 843

Questions about Georgetown

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Georgetown, SC a good place to live?

Georgetown grades C overall, better than 29% of U.S. towns and #104 of 167 in South Carolina. It grades C+ for health and C+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Georgetown, SC expensive?

Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.

What is Georgetown, SC known for?

33 notable people were born here, including Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Anthuan Maybank.

Post to Georgetown

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Is Georgetown a good place to live?