$100k a year, no longer in Charlotte

change
Myrtle Beach, SC cityscape

swapping out of charlotte

Myrtle Beach

sc · metro 397k

photo: Curtis Adams / pexels

a dispatch from

myrtle beach

SC

33.69°N

78.88°W

Myrtle Beach is the Grand Strand's anchor, with 60 miles of beach, more than 80 mini golf courses (it might be the mini golf capital of America), and a boardwalk packed with arcades and pancake houses. Calabash-style fried seafood is a thing. It's a family beach town, full stop, with affordable oceanfront and easy access to Charleston a few hours south.

metro397k

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$165

the monthly cost of moving past Charlotte

Myrtle Beach edges out a little pricier. Close enough that the decision rides on the days, not the dollars.
landable, recorded on the myrtle beach entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,727/mo

0% more expensive than Charlotte(vs $1,728/mo)

02state income tax

6.5%

$167/mo more in state tax than Charlotte

vs 4.5% in Charlotte

03after rent

$6,065/mo

$165 less than Charlotte

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$361k

8% cheaper than Charlotte

vs $391k in Charlotte

05metro size

397k

vs 2.8M in Charlotte

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

249

pleasant days a year, in myrtle beach.

Charlotte only manages 200 of those.

Lighter on events: Charlotte packs 4.9× more into a month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

58/100

14% higher than Charlotte

vs 51/100 in Charlotte

Closest outdoor draw: Huntington Beach State Park, 15.2 mi.

·walk score®

55/100

41% lower than Charlotte

vs 94/100 in Charlotte

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

84% fewer than Charlotte

vs 141 nonstops in Charlotte

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as myrtle beach:

see also

sarasota

$147/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

pensacola

$516/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

wilmington

$218/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare myrtle beach with:

SarasotaPensacolaWilmington