RANK #914 / 1001 NAT · #23 / 24 SC · POP 64,811
1YR FORECAST: -0.7%
5YR OUTLOOK: +11%
Georgetown County, South Carolina, is distinguished by its rich history and abundant natural beauty, particularly around the city of Georgetown, the state's third oldest city. Located on the coast between Myrtle Beach (35 miles north) and Charleston (65 miles south), the county offers a slower pace of life. Its landscape features Atlantic beaches, five rivers converging into Winyah Bay, and extensive marshlands and forests, providing ample opportunities for fishing, kayaking, boating, and golf. The county actively promotes outdoor recreation through initiatives like the Georgetown Outdoor Adventure Trails (GOAT) program and new "GC Calm" spots for mindful nature experiences.
Life in Georgetown County often appeals to those seeking a quieter environment, including many retirees. The Georgetown County School District serves over 8,000 students across 19 schools. Commute options within the county include local bus services provided by Coast RTA, which also connects to Horry County. The local economy is seeing new activity, with recent investments in energy infrastructure projects, including solar farms, and expansions in manufacturing. These developments contribute to job creation and aim to provide long-term economic stability.
Georgetown County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices -0.2% YoY, population +0.9%, wages +5.1%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Moderate climate & terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 14.3x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Georgetown County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties.
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Plantersville Renewable Energy Center (North & South Solar Farms with Battery Storage)
Sunrise Renewables (Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners)
|
$363M | Proposed |
|
Lambert Solar Farm (Phases 1, 2 & 3)
Silicon Ranch
|
$260M | Under Construction |
|
Kingstree East 230 Solar Project
Undisclosed
|
$249M | Planned |
|
Dual-Fuel Simple-Cycle Combustion Turbines
Santee Cooper
|
$100M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
The data is not encouraging — Georgetown County scores just 8/100 on the Boom Town Index, ranking #914 of 1001 counties. Job growth at -4.4% and median household income of $68,713 reflect an economy that has been contracting or stagnating relative to the rest of the country.
Georgetown County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $289,500 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.24 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,204/month on average.
Georgetown County is attracting residents (population +0.9% YoY) even as the job market softens with employment at -4.4%. Housing values changed -0.2% over the past 12 months. People may be moving here for affordability or lifestyle reasons rather than job opportunities.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.34% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Georgetown County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.