Health · Murrells Inlet

Murrells Inlet, SC health

Murrells Inlet differs from South Carolina on 22 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (8.1% vs 17.4%) and fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (4.3% vs 8.9%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (13.8% vs 8.6%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Murrells Inlet
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Murrells Inlet’s Health Grade: A−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Murrells Inlet is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns and 88% of South Carolina towns.

A-Self-rated healthB+Physical distressA+Mental distressAObesityC-DiabetesASmokingA-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 79%
Less healthyHealthier
South Carolina towns we grade (266)Healthier than 88%
Towns with similar incomes, $58K–$97K (9,836)Healthier than 90%

About what its income would suggest. Murrells Inlet does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Murrells Inlet could be anywhere from B to A.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in South Carolina ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Murrells Inlet with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Murrells Inlet uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Murrells Inlet compares with South Carolina

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Murrells Inlet adults…

42 of every 100 Murrells Inlet adults have high blood pressure
South Carolina: 39 in 100 · too close to call · margin 37.6–45.7%

Bars show Murrells Inlet; the black tick is South Carolina. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Murrells Inlet, betterMurrells Inlet, worseToo close to callSouth Carolina
Get no exerciseshare of adults 20.3% Murrells Inlet
SC 25.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 29.6% Murrells Inlet
SC 35.8%
Binge drinkshare of adults 13.9% Murrells Inlet
SC 15.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 9.6% Murrells Inlet
SC 13.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Murrells Inlet adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.

85%
Yearly checkup
SC 81%
73%
Dentist visit
SC 63%
93%
Cholesterol check
SC 87%
77%
Colon screening
SC 69%
81%
Mammogram
SC 78%
85%
Taking BP meds
SC 80%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Murrells Inlet 7% · South Carolina 1 in 8 (11.8%)
Mind & connection

How Murrells Inlet adults are doing

1 in 4Murrells Inlet adults feel lonely
24.8% · South Carolina 31.7% · better
1 in 5Murrells Inlet adults have been diagnosed with depression
20% · South Carolina 22.3% · too close to call
1 in 6Murrells Inlet adults lack social or emotional support
17.9% · South Carolina 23.6% · better
1 in 8Murrells Inlet adults are in frequent mental distress
12.2% · South Carolina 16.4% · better
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 12
Murrells Inlet adults worry about having enough food
8.1% · SC 17.4% · better
1 in 15
Murrells Inlet adults worry about keeping their housing
6.5% · SC 13.3% · better
1 in 23
Murrells Inlet adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.3% · SC 8.9% · better
1 in 22
Murrells Inlet adults lack reliable transportation
4.5% · SC 8.6% · better

4.3% of Murrells Inlet adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.

Disability

Living with a disability

28%

of Murrells Inlet adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.6%
Thinking or memory10.1%
Hearing8.6%
Errands alone6.7%
Vision4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.4%

Black tick: South Carolina. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Murrells Inlet

1 hospital in Murrells Inlet, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERTidelands Waccamaw Community HospitalMurrells Inlet · 0.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyConway Medical Center★★★★★ · 16.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careLittle River Medical CenterMyrtle Beach · 5.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.9 mi
Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital
Murrells Inlet · ★★★★★
ERIn Murrells Inlet
5.5 mi
Little River Medical Center
4 sites · nearest in Myrtle Beach
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
8.4 mi
Careteam Plus
3 sites · nearest in Pawleys Island
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
16.1 mi
Conway Medical Center
Conway · ★★★★★
ER
18 mi
Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital
Georgetown · ★★★★★
ER
19.4 mi
Grand Strand Regional Medical Center
Myrtle Beach · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careMurrells Inlet's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Georgetown · need score 10 of 25
! Dental careMurrells Inlet's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Georgetown County · need score 7 of 25
! Mental healthMurrells Inlet's county is a federal shortage area.Waccamaw MHC · need score 15 of 25

Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Murrells Inlet. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Murrells Inlet
MeasureMurrells InletMarginSouth Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure41.6%37.6–45.7%38.5%about the same
High cholesterol41%36.9–45%38.1%about the same
Obesity28%22.8–33.5%35.8%better
Arthritis33.2%29.9–36.7%28.5%worse
Depression20%17.1–23.2%22.3%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)8.5%7–10.2%13.9%better
Asthma8.7%7.7–9.8%9.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)13.8%12.5–15.1%8.6%worse
Diabetes14.4%12.6–16.5%13.9%about the same
COPD7.6%6.5–9%7.5%about the same
Heart disease8.1%7.2–9.1%6.8%worse
Stroke4.1%3.6–4.5%3.9%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes9.6%7.8–11.5%13.3%better
Binge drink13.9%11.5–16.5%15.7%about the same
Get no exercise20.3%16.8–24.2%25.8%better
Sleep under 7 hours29.6%25.1–34.3%35.8%better
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup84.7%82.1–87.2%80.6%better
Dentist visit72.6%69.7–75.4%63.1%better
Cholesterol check92.5%91.4–93.5%86.9%better
Colon screening77.2%73.4–80.7%69.3%better
Mammogram81.1%75.3–86%77.6%about the same
Taking BP meds85.3%82.8–87.5%80.2%better
No health insurance7%5.7–8.5%11.8%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely24.8%21.2–28.8%31.7%better
Lack emotional support17.9%15.3–20.9%23.6%better
Frequent mental distress12.2%10.7–13.8%16.4%better
Fair or poor health15.7%13.4–18.4%20.1%better
Frequent physical distress13.1%11.3–15%14%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity8.1%6.6–9.9%17.4%better
Housing insecurity6.5%5.5–7.7%13.3%better
Utility shut-off threat4.3%3.7–5.1%8.9%better
No reliable transportation4.5%3.9–5.2%8.6%better
Receive SNAP4.3%3.4–5.3%10.5%
Disability
Any disability28%24.2–32.1%31.5%
Walking or climbing stairs14.6%12.4–17%15.4%
Thinking or memory10.1%8.7–11.7%14.3%
Hearing8.6%7.7–9.7%7%
Vision4.1%3.6–4.7%5.6%
Dressing or bathing3.4%3–3.9%4.3%
Errands alone6.7%5.8–7.7%8.7%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Murrells Inlet door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the South Carolina figure falls inside it, we don't call Murrells Inlet better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Murrells Inlet directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The South Carolina figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/19 · 2025-01-01