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Horry County, SC · Google Ads Management
Win New Residents With Google Ads Management in Horry County
Horry County is growing faster than 99% of counties. GetPhound builds and manages Google Ads campaigns for Horry County businesses on a flat monthly fee with no contract. On this page, public data shows the field you would be bidding in.
The market in numbers
Horry County at a Glance: Competition, Growth and Demand
Ad Competition Index
60.3/ 100
Ranked 503 of 1,822 counties with 20,000+ residents and 208 of the 400 markets we cover. More local businesses chasing the same searches pushes the score up. How the score works
We grade every U.S. county-equivalent with 20,000 or more residents on how many ad-heavy local businesses (such as lawyers, dentists, contractors, agents and similar) compete for its residents. Horry County scores 60.3, which is close to the middle of the pack.
Two features set Horry County apart from the pack: it is one of the faster-growing counties in the country, and it is a county with heavy new home construction for its size. The eight measures below show how it compares with every other county.
- Population growth since the 2020 Census +13.2% Quicker growth than 99% of counties
- Household income at the midpoint (2023 est.) $68,684 Higher than 56% of counties
- Ad-heavy local businesses per 10,000 residents 47.8 More packed than 85% of counties
- Change in those businesses, 2017 to 2022 +18.5% A quicker pace than 86% of counties
- Portion with 20+ employees 5.4% Bigger share than 80% of counties
- Homes permitted in 2025 per 10,000 residents 163.8 More building than 99% of counties
- Housing permits so far this year vs. the same months last year -8.4% Softer than 63% of counties
- Share living outside any city or town 76% Bigger share than 84% of counties
Each bar compares Horry County among all 1,822 U.S. counties with 20,000 or more residents. Source data: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates, County Business Patterns (2017 and 2022), Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates and the Building Permits Survey.
Population by place
Horry County by Place: Where the Customers Are
These are the largest places in Horry County by resident count. You can aim a campaign at any of these places, or at ZIP codes and a radius around your location.
| Community | Residents (2023 estimate) | Share of county |
|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach | 39,697 | 10% |
| Conway | 27,985 | 7% |
| North Myrtle Beach | 20,303 | 5% |
| Surfside Beach | 4,321 | 1% |
| Loris | 2,749 | 1% |
| Aynor | 1,051 | 0% |
Source: Census Bureau Population Estimates. The list covers cities, towns and census-designated places; where a city runs into a neighboring county, only the part inside Horry County is counted.
Local context
Why New Residents Make Horry County Worth Advertising To
Horry County is adding residents quickly: its population is up 13.2% since the 2020 Census, faster than 99% of counties with 20,000 or more residents, and it now has 397,478 people. New arrivals have not yet chosen a dentist, a plumber or an attorney, so they search, and that search is where Google Ads puts your business in front of them.
No single place dominates Horry County: the largest, Myrtle Beach, holds about 10% of residents. Larger places include Myrtle Beach (39,697), Conway (27,985), North Myrtle Beach (20,303), Surfside Beach (4,321) and Loris (2,749). Every one of them is its own market, so we build the campaign around the places you serve.
76% of residents (300,472 people) live outside any incorporated place. Radius and ZIP targeting reach them where city-only targeting would not.
Housing demand
New Homes in Horry County: A Steady Pipeline
New housing units authorized by building permits. Data: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (annual files by county, plus a year-to-date comparison of identical months). Permits count homes approved to be built, not homes completed.
Permits in Horry County have held within a narrow range, 6,511 units in 2025 against 6,970 in 2021, or 163.8 per 10,000 residents, more than in 99% of counties. Permits for January through August total 4,423, versus 4,827 in the same months last year (−8.4%).
In Horry County, the construction-linked categories already busiest are real estate agents and brokers (5.1x typical) and landscaping services (1.5x typical). People moving into new homes need contractors, insurers, agents and providers, so the categories closest to construction notice a change in permits before the rest. If you are in one of them, a turn in permits is a reason to review your budget before the busy stretch, not after.
Your competition
Which Horry County Categories Are Most Crowded, and Which Have Room
Category by category, this table sets Horry County against the typical U.S. county: the count per 10,000 residents, the change over time, and how many locations are larger operations.
Business typeLocationsDensity vs. a typical countyShift, 2017 to 2022Locations with 20+ employees
Real estate agents and brokersBusiest 501 +64.8% 14
Law offices 197 +2.6% 9
Physicians officesLargest operators 257 -1.2% 40
Landscaping services 195 +16.8% 11
Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors 158 +0.6% 13
Accounting and CPA firms 57 -6.6% 0
Residential remodelers 130 +41.3% 5
Insurance agencies and brokerages 138 +16.9% 0
Electrical contractors 84 +31.3% 5
Roofing contractors 21 -25% 0
Dentists 90 +1.1% 5
General automotive repairMost room 71 +1.4% 0
Crowding = employer locations per 10,000 residents divided by the median U.S. county of 20,000+ residents (1.0x is typical; the dark tick marks it). Counts are establishments from County Business Patterns (2017, 2022), not a count of active advertisers. Method
In Horry County, the real estate agents and brokers category is the most crowded, with 501 locations at 5.1 times the typical density; the count is up 64.8% since 2017. Law offices (197 locations, 1.7x) and physicians offices (257 locations, 1.6x) also sit above a normal county. At the other end, the general automotive repair category (71 locations) is below typical density at 0.7x, which can mean more room to win a strong position.
Real estate agents and brokers is also the fastest-growing category, up 64.8% since 2017, so the crowding is still building. Accounting and CPA firms went the other way, down 6.6% to 57 locations. The biggest operators sit in physicians offices: 40 of 257 locations have 20 or more employees.
These numbers describe the field, not the price of a click. What you pay per click depends on keywords, ad quality, landing pages and timing, so a crowded category calls for careful planning and a quiet one is an opening, not a quote.
Similar markets
Horry County Next to Its Closest Look-Alikes
We picked the six markets, out of 400, that are most like Horry County on population, income, growth, building activity and local ad competition.
| County | Score | People | Change since 2020 | Ad-business change since 2017 | Permits per 10k, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horry County, SC (this page) | 60.3 | 397,478 | +13.2% | +18.5% | 163.8 |
| Pasco County, FL | 53.3 | 632,996 | +12.7% | +22.1% | 126.4 |
| Manatee County, FL | 67.7 | 441,095 | +10.4% | +23.6% | 249.7 |
| Sussex County, DE | 52.6 | 263,509 | +11% | +11.1% | 147.4 |
| Marion County, FL | 59.5 | 409,959 | +9.1% | +13% | 146 |
| Johnston County, NC | 48.8 | 241,955 | +12% | +23.2% | 124.1 |
| Osceola County, FL | 43.6 | 437,784 | +12.6% | +32.4% | 168.3 |
Look-alikes are the six counties in our 400-market set closest to this one on size, income, growth, construction and ad-business density. Sources as above.
Pasco County, FL is the closest match, scoring 53.3 against Horry County's 60.3. Osceola County, FL is the furthest from it, scoring 43.6. Manatee County, FL builds far more per resident (249.7 against 163.8 permits per 10,000 residents) despite similar overall competition. Already advertising in one of these places? The comparison shows how similar the competition is; it does not predict your results.
Our process
From Setup to Scale: Google Ads in Horry County
Build
We build your campaign starting with the basics done right: landing pages made to convert, keywords, ads, extensions and tracking for calls, forms and sales.
Test and tune
Once ads are running, we review the account on a consistent schedule, blocking poor-fit searches with negative keywords, adjusting bids and raising lead quality.
Manage and expand
We lean into the ad groups that are working and test broader keywords so your calls keep growing.
Never stop tuning
We keep optimizing and lower your monthly management fee as your account grows, which lifts your return.
More than Google
Google, Facebook, Instagram and Bing Ads for Horry County Businesses
Facebook & Instagram Ads
Campaigns on Facebook and Instagram, managed in Meta's ad platform, that reach Horry County residents before they start searching.
Bing Ads
Reach searchers who use Bing, Microsoft Edge and Microsoft's partner network rather than Google.
PPC and paid ads, whatever you call them
Google Ads, PPC, pay-per-click, Facebook ads, Instagram ads, paid ads: the names differ but the idea is the same, you pay when someone clicks and we manage it for Horry County businesses on one flat plan.
Intent is highest on Google, so most Horry County businesses begin there and add Facebook, Instagram or Bing when the first campaign is running well. One account manager covers each platform.
Plans
Flat-Rate Google Ads Management in Horry County
One flat monthly fee, no contracts, based on how many platforms you want us to run. Ad spend is separate and goes straight to the ad platform. Over $10K a month in ad budget? Let's talk.
Check the math
Is Google Ads Worth It for Your Horry County Business? Run the Numbers
Whether ads are worth it in Horry County comes down to your figures, not an average. Enter your own figures below to find the most you can spend per lead without losing money.
Questions we hear
Google Ads in Horry County: Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Google Ads management cost in Horry County?
We charge a flat management fee: $895 a month for one platform, $1,595 for two and $2,295 for three, and there is no long-term contract. Your ad spend is separate and goes straight to Google (or Bing or Meta).
How much should I spend on ads in Horry County?
Work from your own numbers rather than a rule of thumb: the calculator above takes your profit per new customer and close rate and returns the most you can pay per lead. In Horry County, real estate agents and brokers (5.1x) and law offices (1.7x) are denser than a typical county, so if you are in one of those categories plan for a busier auction. We agree on a budget with you before launch and scale it as results come in.
Is Horry County a competitive market for Google Ads?
The densest category here is
About average. Horry County scores 60.3 on our Ad Competition Index, ranking 503rd of 1,822 counties with 20,000+ residents and 208th of the 400 markets we cover. Real estate agents and brokers, at 5.1 times the typical county. That calls for consistency: consistent campaigns can claim ground that would be contested in a bigger market.
What kinds of local businesses advertise most in Horry County?
Across the twelve ad-heavy categories we track, the largest by employer locations in Horry County are real estate agents and brokers (501), physicians offices (257) and law offices (197). Measured against a typical county, the most crowded are real estate agents and brokers (5.1x) and law offices (1.7x). Size and crowding in a category do not decide whether ads work for you; it shows how many other businesses may be bidding on the same searches.
How soon will I get calls from Google Ads in Horry County?
Timing varies. A few accounts get calls on day one; the rest need two to four weeks of tuning, and more in crowded categories like real estate agents and brokers. At the start we look at which searches triggered your ads and cut the ones that do not fit your business.
Is Horry County growing, and does that matter for Google Ads?
Horry County has 397,478 residents, +13.2% since the 2020 Census, and 6,511 housing units were permitted in 2025 (163.8 per 10,000 residents). Growth at that pace keeps adding people who have not picked a provider yet. Either way, ads reach the people searching now, so we keep an eye on these trends when we set budgets.
Can you target only the parts of Horry County I serve?
Yes. We can target by city (Myrtle Beach, Conway, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and others), by ZIP code or by a radius around your location. Roughly 76% of residents live outside any incorporated place, and radius targeting is frequently how we reach them.
Can you run Facebook, Instagram and Bing ads too?
Yes. On top of Google Ads, we run Bing ads and Meta ads, which run on Facebook and Instagram. Most clients start with Google since searchers there are ready to act; Bing adds a second search audience and Facebook and Instagram let you reach people before they search. You pay by platform count: $895, $1,595 or $2,295 a month.
Do I have to sign a contract, and how will I know it is working?
No contract, and you can cancel anytime. You work with one dedicated account manager and get monthly reporting on the calls, forms and sales your campaign produces.
Close by
Beyond Horry County: Nearby Counties
If your customers extend beyond Horry County, these are the nearest counties, measured from county center to county center:
- Marion County, SC: around 25 miles out, 28,508 people, Ad Competition Index 19.1
- Columbus County, NC: around 31 miles out, 50,121 people, competition index 34.8
- Georgetown County, SC: around 39 miles from here, 65,731 residents, index score 73.8
- Dillon County, SC: around 40 miles away, 27,698 people, index score 23.6
- Florence County, SC: about 43 miles away, 137,214 residents, Ad Competition Index 45.1
- Brunswick County, NC: around 44 miles away, 159,964 people, Ad Competition Index 51.8
About this page
How This Horry County Page Was Built
Each figure on this page comes from public U.S. Census Bureau data, computed the same manner for every county, so you can compare Horry County with any other market. We do not use client account data or publish performance figures for GetPhound campaigns, because results differ by business.
- UpdatedOctober 16, 2026
- SourcesPopulation Estimates (2023), County Business Patterns (2017, 2022), income estimates from the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates program (2023), Building Permits Survey (2021 to 2026 year to date), Census Gazetteer files.
- How it worksThe Ad Competition Index and the figures derived from it are explained on the methodology page. Compare all markets in the index.
- Found an error?Think we got something wrong? Email hello@getphound.com and we will check it against the source.
Start a Conversation
Ready to Grow Your Horry County Business With Google Ads?
Let us know what you sell and where in Horry County you want customers. We will walk through a plan that fits your budget. To book a strategy session with our CEO, call 610-825-4363 or email hello@getphound.com.