Myrtle Beach is now the fastest-growing US metro for seniors

By MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press

A South Carolina beach town once nicknamed “Dirty Myrtle” because of its rowdy nightclubs and strip joints has become a magnet for retirees in a nation that continues to age.

The number of residents age 65 years and older in the Myrtle Beach metropolitan area grew by 6.3% last year, making it the fastest-growing metro area for senior citizens in the U.S., according to population estimates the U.S. Census Bureau released last week.

During the 2020s, Myrtle Beach’s senior population has grown by more than 22%, also the fastest rate in the United States this decade. Senior citizens now make up more than a quarter of the around 413,000 residents in metro Myrtle Beach, which once was known for being a budget beach destination.

The community with a mile-long boardwalk and 200-foot Ferris wheel used to attract biker rallies which the city tried to end in the late 2000s because of the noise, traffic and rowdiness. But now the noisy streets have had to make room for quiet diners and pickleball courts.

The COVID-19 pandemic played a role in the area’s senior boom as people in such places as Ohio and New York who had been vacationing for years in Myrtle Beach realized they could retire early or work from home anywhere, said Mark Kruea, a longtime public information officer for Myrtle Beach who is now running to be mayor.

“Many people converted that thought into action,” Kruea said. “The climate’s great, taxes are low, there’s a wealth of opportunities for recreation, dining and shopping.”

A graying United States

The U.S. population age 65 and older rose by 3.1% last year, while the population under age 18 decreased by 0.2%. In the past two decades, seniors have increased from 12.4% to 18% of the U.S. population, while the share of children has dropped from 25% to 21.5%, according to the population estimates.

Maine, Vermont, and Florida were the only three states where older adults outnumbered children as recently as 2020. But four years later, those states were joined by Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.

Maine last year had the oldest median age at 44.8, while Utah’s was the youngest at 32.4.

Groups that saw the most growth

The share of the U.S. population that is Hispanic reached 20% last year for the first time, helped by an annual gain of 1.9 million Hispanics mostly through migration. In pure numbers, the Hispanic population grew the most last year in the New York, Houston and Miami metro areas. When it comes to growth rates, the biggest gains were in smaller metros such as Ocala, Florida; Panama City, Florida; and St. Joseph, Missouri.