Horry County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Myrtle Beach, Conway and North Myrtle Beach
Horry County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Horry County, 9% of South Carolina's total. Horry County is home to Myrtle Beach, Conway, North Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach. 74 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Holliday Solar I (solar), the 10th largest pipeline among South Carolina's counties. Construction employs 9,604, up 21.4% since 2019. 427,551 people live here, up 20.9% since 2020, 4th of 46 South Carolina counties by population.
Cities and towns in Horry County
Horry County is home to Myrtle Beach, Conway, North Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bucksport, Carolina Forest, Finklea, Forestbrook, Garden City, Green Sea, Homewood, Ketchuptown, Little River, Live Oak, Red Hill, Socastee.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Horry County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 353,774 | 427,551 | ▲ 20.9% | 4th of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 133,871 | 146,160 | ▲ 9.2% | 12th of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,803 | $50,029 | ▲ 43.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,913 | 9,604 | ▲ 21.4% | 9th of 25 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 601 | 658 | ▲ 9.5% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 23 | 87 | ▲ 278.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.8% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 57 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 74 MW | 42% of today's fleet | 10th of 16 by size |
Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 146,160 jobs in 2025, up 9.2% from 2019. Owners plan to retire 112 MW more by 2035, led by Myrtle Beach in 2033. 57 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Electrical contractors employ 658, up 9.5% since 2019 against up 10.4% statewide, at an average $55,016 a year. Its power plants have 174 MW of capacity, 64% of it petroleum. South Carolina Public Service Authority is the largest utility serving Horry County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.59¢ median for South Carolina utilities.
Who powers Horry County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +57 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Horry County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina Public Service Authority | State | Bundled | 185,529 | 11.38¢ | 20% |
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 143,713 | 14.88¢ | 28% |
| Horry Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 86,726 | 13.23¢ | 19% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 112 MW | 64% |
| Solar | 59 MW | 34% |
| Other technologies | 4 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach | South Carolina Public Service Authority | Petroleum | 112 MW | 1962 |
| Landrace Holdings, LLC | Landrace Holdings, LLC | Solar | 55 MW | 2023 |
| Horry Land Fill Gas Site | South Carolina Public Service Authority | Other technologies | 4 MW | 2001 |
| Runway Solar Farm | Runway Solar Farm | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
| Bell Bay Solar Farm | Bell Bay Solar Farm | Solar | 2 MW | 2018 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holliday Solar I | Solar Photovoltaic | 74 MW | Approvals received | 2028 | Holliday Solar I |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach | Petroleum | 112 MW | 2033 |
The Horry County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 146,160 | $50,029 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 9,604 | $66,202 | 1.24 |
| Electrical contractors | 658 | $55,016 | 0.62 |
| Data processing and hosting | 87 | $112,885 | 0.19 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Horry County
3 data centers in Horry County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Horry County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Horry County, Georgetown County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horry County | 427,551 | ▲ 9.2% | 174 MW | 74 MW | 3 | — |
| Brunswick County NC | 174,702 | ▲ 30.6% | 2,071 MW | — | — | — |
| Columbus County NC | 50,487 | ▼ 6.4% | 166 MW | 25 MW | — | 1 |
| Dillon County | 27,458 | ▲ 2.8% | 15 MW | 81 MW | — | — |
| Georgetown County | 65,912 | ▲ 2.5% | 1,573 MW | 413 MW | — | — |
| Marion County | 28,242 | ▼ 1.7% | 25 MW | 10 MW | — | — |
| Robeson County NC | 119,941 | ▼ 5.3% | 419 MW | 108 MW | — | — |
More of South Carolina
Horry County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Horry County, South Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Horry County in the EIA-861 2024 report: South Carolina Public Service Authority, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Horry Electric Coop Inc. The largest, South Carolina Public Service Authority, charged residential customers 11.38¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Myrtle Beach, SC in?
Myrtle Beach is in Horry County, South Carolina. About 40,937 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Conway, SC in?
Conway is in Horry County, South Carolina. About 30,627 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is North Myrtle Beach, SC in?
North Myrtle Beach is in Horry County, South Carolina. About 21,346 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Horry County?
5 operating plants with 174 MW of capacity. The largest is Myrtle Beach (112 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Horry County?
74 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Holliday Solar I.
Are there data centers in Horry County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Horry County.
Is Horry County adding jobs?
Employers counted 146,160 jobs in 2025 against 133,871 in 2019 (+9.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 7,913 to 9,604.
Does Horry County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Horry County. South Carolina has 22 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.