Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 93% of U.S. communities, with hurricanes at the top. Overall it grades C+, 84th among South Carolina's 167 graded towns. Its schools rank ahead of 77% of South Carolina towns. 42% of residents are 65 or older in Little River, above both South Carolina’s towns (17%) and U.S. towns (18%). Only 5 of the 169 South Carolina towns we compare have a lower share of children under 18 than Little River.
Where Little River beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
8,960 counted in 2010 and 11,711 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Little River is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 7,027 in 2000, 11,711 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1986 on.
Little River is unincorporated, so Horry County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Little River.
Little River has more trail for its size than nearly any town in South Carolina and is a second-home town, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of South Carolina (mostly hurricanes).
At 2.1 miles of trail per square mile, it ranks #2 of 80 South Carolina towns.
23 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves. Little River’s trail density is 2.1 miles per square mile.
| Little River | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 2.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 7.1% | 1.7% | 4.3% |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
24.1% of homes are seasonal or vacation homes, against 4.5% statewide, which helps explain the older median age.
The median age in Little River is 61.4 years. People 65 and older are 42% of residents (19% statewide); children under 18 are 10% of residents (22% statewide). 26% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across South Carolina.
| Little River | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.4 years | 38.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 26% | 23% | 29% |
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.9 points. Across South Carolina, 51.3% of residents are women.
| Little River | SC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 4% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.8% | 12.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.1% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.9% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.6% | 13.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 24.9% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 17.4% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.5% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 26.9% | 28.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 28.9% | 19.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.9% | 10% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.2% | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.7% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 84% of South Carolina towns, with expected losses of about $905 per resident a year; that rating is what its D− for hazard risk is built on.
Since 1989, 94 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Little River.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
July afternoons average 89.2°: hotter than most of the country, but cooler than 91% of South Carolina places with climate records; January nights average 35.7°.
Little River has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Little River | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 36°F | 34°F | 22°F |
| July high | 89°F | 91°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Jobs based here grew from 2,523 in 2013 to 3,443.
Since 2013, Little River has added 920 jobs, to 3,443 in 2023. 13% of residents live below the poverty line in Little River. The top destinations are North Myrtle Beach (20%), Myrtle Beach (12%) and Conway (7%).
| Little River | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 14% | 8.6% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 17% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 6.1% | 8% |
| Median household income | $66,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Little River home is worth about $323,000, about the same as a year ago, 6% above the South Carolina typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Against the 10,065 U.S. towns with household incomes like Little River’s, it is healthier than 72%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income.
Little River beats the South Carolina average on 15 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 27% of Little River adults feel lonely. Among 169 South Carolina towns, just 8 have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Little River.
| Little River | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 33% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 40% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 85% | 80% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 16% |
| What stands out | Little River | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 5.1% | 8.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8% | 13.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14.2% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Little River; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Little River residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
CDP in South Carolina, United States
Little River is a census-designated place (CDP) in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 11,711 at the 2020 census. Little River is named for the Little River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean at the state line between North Carolina and South Carolina. The Little River inlet has long been a breakpoint for tropical cyclone warnings. It initially developed as a suburb of North Myrtle Beach, allowing easy access to the city while avoiding its taxes.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Little River.
| Town | SC rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little River | #84 | C+ | C | — | A− | B− |
| North Myrtle Beach | #100 | C | C− | D | A− | B |
Little River reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Little River with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Little River grades C+ overall, better than 37% of U.S. towns and #84 of 167 in South Carolina. It grades B− for health and A− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.