Crime & Safety in North Myrtle Beach
North Myrtle Beach's crime data shows a real, sharp, unresolved disagreement across sources this pass -- one citation reads favorably (B+ overall grade, 100% A-grade neighborhoods), while another cites 36 per 1,000 residents as 'one of the highest crime rates in America.'
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Learn moreA favorable reading: low density, low poverty, high grades
One source cites North Myrtle Beach's overall crime grade at B+, with 100% of rated neighborhoods carrying an A grade, attributing this to the city's low population density (304 people per square mile) and low poverty rate (8.7%) -- socioeconomic conditions cited as reducing the conditions that often drive elevated crime.
An unfavorable reading: a genuinely different framing
A separately cited figure instead puts the overall crime rate at 36 per 1,000 residents, described as "one of the highest crime rates in America" compared to all U.S. communities of all sizes -- a genuinely different, more alarming framing that directly contradicts the favorable source above.
A real, disclosed, unresolved tension -- and a real seasonal pattern
These two framings are not reconciled here -- both are disclosed explicitly rather than picking the more flattering or more alarming figure. Separately, property crime (vehicle break-ins, theft) is noted to see real seasonal upticks during peak tourist season when the visitor population surges well above the year-round resident count. No specific neighborhood is named as unsafe, per site policy; check a specific address directly with more than one source.
Key takeaways
- One source cites a favorable B+ overall crime grade with 100% A-grade neighborhoods, low density (304/sq mi), and low poverty (8.7%).
- A separately cited figure puts the overall crime rate at 36/1,000, "one of the highest in America" -- a real, unresolved contradiction with the favorable reading above.
- Property crime (vehicle break-ins, theft) sees real seasonal upticks during peak tourist season. No specific area is named as unsafe -- check a specific address with more than one source.
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