Horry County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.4 | 397,478 people · 23rd most distressed in South Carolina
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Horry County, SC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.4 — 721st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within South Carolina, it ranks 23rd of 46 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Horry County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 74.1 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 74.1
Uninsured Rate 79
Disability Rate 69
Housing Cost Burden 71.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 65
Homeownership Rate 43
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Employment & Wages 65.2
Unemployment Rate 91
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 11
Debt & Delinquency 55.9
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 59
Student Loan Delinquency 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 59
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31
Income & Poverty 40.8
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 60

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Horry County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Horry County
Horry County, SC 61.4 Elevated —
Robeson County, NC 76.3 Serious +14.8
Dillon County, SC 72.8 Serious +11.4
Marion County, SC 67.4 Serious +6.0
Columbus County, NC 64.6 Elevated +3.2
Georgetown County, SC 52.6 Elevated -8.8
Brunswick County, NC 46.0 Normal -15.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Horry County
Richland County, SC 61.5 Elevated +0.1
Genesee County, MI 61.2 Elevated -0.2
St. Louis city, MO 61.2 Elevated -0.2
Camden County, NJ 61.1 Elevated -0.3
Osceola County, FL 61.8 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Horry County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Horry County

Find an Attorney

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 803-799-7100

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Horry County residents at no cost.

SC Legal Services (Palmetto Legal Services / Greater Columbia Community Relations Council) 1-888-346-5592
Upstate Legal Services 864-679-3232
Pro Bono Legal Services — SC Bar 803-799-6653
Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services 843-853-3304
South Carolina Legal Services, Inc. (888) 346-5592

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Horry County, South Carolina?

    Horry County has a County Distress Index score of 61.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 721st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 23rd in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Horry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Horry County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 74.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Horry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Horry County (61.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Robeson County, NC (76.3); Dillon County, SC (72.8); Marion County, SC (67.4).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Horry County?

    Horry County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 397,478 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.