Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Surfside Beach, South Carolina
A $412,000 home here costs
$3,136per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $134,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,246. The real number is $890 higher every month, 40% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Horry County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Surfside Beach from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 4,217 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Horry County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Surfside Beach against Horry County and South Carolina
| Measure | Surfside Beach | Horry County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $412,100 | $260,500 |
| Median property tax | $1,371 | $879 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.333% | 0.337% |
| Median gross rent | $1,274 | $1,181 |
| Population | 4,217 | 368,937 |
The weather behind that power bill
Surfside Beach sits in Horry County, which averages a high of 90.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.2°F in its coldest, with 55.21" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,141 cooling and 2,287 heating degree days, which is what sets the $165 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Horry County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Horry County
Full Horry County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Surfside Beach averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Surfside Beach every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Surfside Beach I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Surfside Beach?
A $412,000 home in Surfside Beach, South Carolina costs approximately $3,136 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,246 principal and interest, $114 property tax, $198 homeowners insurance, $233 utilities and $343 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Surfside Beach?
Surfside Beach has an effective property tax rate of 0.333%, based on a median home value of $412,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,371. That is in line with the Horry County average of 0.337%.
What is the average home price in Surfside Beach?
The median owner-occupied home value in Surfside Beach, South Carolina is $412,100, against $260,500 across Horry County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Surfside Beach?
Median gross rent in Surfside Beach is $1,274 a month, against $3,136 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Surfside Beach?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Surfside Beach, South Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $134,500 a year. That covers the full $3,136 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Surfside Beach, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for South Carolina.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.