Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Geography

Murrells Inlet lies in northeastern Georgetown County, with its northern edge following the Horry County line. U.S. Route 17 runs through the center, connecting to Myrtle Beach 13 miles northeast and Georgetown 21 miles southwest. The CDP covers 19.5 square kilometers, of which 0.4 square kilometers are water. It has a humid subtropical climate, with average monthly temperatures ranging from 46.5°F in January to 80.5°F in July, and a hardiness zone of 8b.

History

Human settlement in the area dates back thousands of years, with shell mounds and archaeological findings from the Atlantic Ocean to the Waccamaw River documenting indigenous cultures. The historic Waccamaw people inhabited the region, and Indian burial mounds have been found along high bluffs at Wachesaw. Recorded history begins with English colonial land grants by the Lords Proprietors, who awarded large baronies to encourage settlement. These estates stretched from the Atlantic to the Waccamaw River and were subdivided into plantations.

The plantations of Murrells Inlet included The Oaks, Brookgreen, Springfield, Laurel Hill, Richmond Hill, and Wachesaw. The first land grants went to Robert Daniell in 1711, and the first planters arrived in the 1730s. He raised indigo as a cash crop and died in 1771, dividing his land between his son and two daughters. Wachesaw Plantation was later purchased by Allard Belin around 1800, while Richmond Hill was sold to an Allston, likely John Hayes Allston, who pioneered rice planting techniques. In the nineteenth century, rice replaced indigo as the commodity crop.

Demographics

At the 2020 census, the CDP had 9,740 people, 4,129 households, and 2,773 families. In 2010, there were 8,547 people, with a population density of 751.8 per square mile. The racial makeup in 2010 was 91.59% White, 7.12% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races; Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.62%. Of 2,585 households in 2010, 17.6% had children under 18, 53.7% were married couples, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband, and 36.0% were non-families. The median age was 47 years. The median household income was $39,877, and the per capita income was $28,197. About 5.4% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line.