HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) – According to the South Carolina Budget and Control Board, Horry County’s current population is 294,596.
County leaders say that will surpass 300,000 before 2020, and in less than 10 years be around 350,000 citizens. By 2040, the Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments predicts a population just over 423,000, an increase of around 128,000 citizens in 25‐years.
Horry County Planning leaders now work on a plan to meet future demands associated with that population increase. It includes developing more residential and office spaces along the Highway 17 Bypass and Highway 544 area. The growth is something that local realtors say will make the Grand Strand less of a summer tourist spot.
“Our town is used to seeing a swelling of population because we’re a tourist town and what we see in the summer, we will see that number increase as well as our off season months increase because of the number of people that live here fill-time,” Michael Eaglin said.
Eaglin owns Broad Reach Realty and has been in the real estate business for more than 30 years and he’s already noticing the growth throughout Horry County.
“Carolina Forest is hot, the Socastee area is very hot as well. You see a lot of the home developers going into the areas that we didn’t think would be developed. Ten years ago we would not see houses going in that direction and now it’s actually taking off in that direction,” Eaglin said.
In a new report, Horry County Zoning says Carolina Forest could see an additional 27,000 people, Forestbrook an additional 4,300 residents, and the lands surrounding the intersection of Highway 17 Bypass and Highway 544 upwards of 17,000.
Eaglin says he wants to make sure to capitalize on any potential new home buyers.
“For my company, it’s I’ve doubled size recently. I’ve added agents to cover from the state line all the way down to Georgetown County. The housing market is extremely hot right now.”
