Myrtle Beach Retirement Communities

55 Plus Homes

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Myrtle Beach Retirement

One of the fastest-growing places in the country for residents 65 and over — and the tax code is a large part of why.

You won't find a better place to retire than Myrtle Beach SC. Compared to the sweltering Florida heat or the freezing North, our low cost of living and entertainment at your fingertips leaves no room for comparison. Many of the best activities in Myrtle Beach are favorites for the baby boomers and above.

World class golfing, the fishing piers and charter boats, Little River's Casino Boats, to the 50's Shag Clubs that line Ocean Drive in North Myrtle Beach are some popular activities. Many easily lead an active lifestyle in Myrtle Beach by taking a picturesque walk on the beach or at one of the areas many health clubs.

This page is the guide to the 55 plus communities themselves. For the rest of the decision — what a home here costs to keep each month, the four South Carolina tax breaks for retirees, the hospitals, the climate and which part of the Grand Strand fits which kind of retirement — see my Retiring to Myrtle Beach guide.

What Retirement Costs Here

The financial case for South Carolina is stronger than most people expect, and three parts of it apply directly to retirees.

Social Security Exempt

South Carolina does not tax Social Security income, and there is no local income tax at county or city level.

$50,000 Homestead Exemption

At 65, after a year of residency, the first $50,000 of your home's fair market value comes off the assessment.

4th-Lowest Property Tax

South Carolina ranked 4th-lowest in the nation in WalletHub's 2026 report, with a further break for primary residences.

The homestead exemption is the one most often missed. It applies from age 65 — or at any age if you are permanently and totally disabled or legally blind — once you have held South Carolina residency for a year, and it is not applied automatically. See my Horry County Property Tax page for what it saves and how the 4% primary residence rate works, and run your own numbers with my property tax calculator. The full monthly picture for a retiree — property tax with the homestead exemption, association fees and insurance on a paid-off home — is worked through on my Retiring to Myrtle Beach page.

Myrtle Beach 55 Communities

Many of the active retirement communities in Myrtle Beach South Carolina are located in Carolina Forest, Grande Dunes or Barefoot Resort.

These are excellent for the senior crowds, but sometimes you want a place to live where everyone is your age and has the same needs and interests. For that, you need a 55 plus community. You are in luck because Myrtle Beach is home to some of the best 55 plus communities in SC, with more being built as "the lifestyle" increases in popularity here at the beach.

There are more than forty active adult communities across the Grand Strand, ranging from neighborhoods of under 100 homes to developments of 1,500. These are the ones buyers ask about most.

Active Adult Communities in Myrtle Beach SC

An active adult community is built around the lifestyle, not just the age on the deed. Expect a clubhouse with a full calendar, a fitness center, pools, pickleball and bocce courts, walking trails and a lifestyle director whose job is to keep the calendar full. Most are age-restricted 55 plus, with single-level floor plans, low-maintenance yards and HOA-covered lawn care so you can lock the door and travel.

They run from coastal resort settings in North Myrtle Beach and Grande Dunes to quieter inland neighborhoods in Carolina Forest and Conway, and south to Murrells Inlet. The communities below are grouped by area so you can match the lifestyle to the part of the Grand Strand you want to live in.

North Myrtle Beach

Del Webb North Myrtle Beach 535 single-family homes one mile from the beach, with a 12,000 square-foot clubhouse.
Waters Edge One of the most recently started 55+ communities in North Myrtle Beach.

Myrtle Beach

The Grove at Coastal Grand One of the newest 55+ communities in Myrtle Beach.
Island Green An affordable 55+ golf community in Myrtle Beach.

Grande Dunes

Del Webb Grande Dunes Inside Grande Dunes, on the waterway side, with access to the wider community.
Waterside Edge A gated section within Del Webb at Grande Dunes.
Waterside Pointe A second gated section within Del Webb at Grande Dunes.

Carolina Forest

Carillon at Tuscany Gated 55+ section within Tuscany, in Carolina Forest.

Conway

Myrtle Trace An established 55+ community in Conway, with two further sections alongside it.
Myrtle Trace Grande A separate 55+ section alongside Myrtle Trace.
Myrtle Trace South A third 55+ section in the Myrtle Trace area.

Murrells Inlet

Seasons at Prince Creek The 55+ section of Prince Creek in Murrells Inlet.
Woodlake Village An established 55+ neighborhood, smaller and with lower association fees than the newer builds.
Spring Forest An established 55+ neighborhood with a close-knit feel.

Myrtle Beach 55 Plus Homes for Sale

Most 55 plus homes for sale in Myrtle Beach are single-level, two or three bedrooms, with a two-car garage and a screened porch or lanai, and the newer builds come with hurricane-rated construction and open floor plans. The established neighborhoods in Conway and Murrells Inlet are the value end of the market; the top end is a lake or waterway lot in Del Webb Grande Dunes and Del Webb North Myrtle Beach.

Resale listings in these communities move quickly and new construction has its own timing, lot premiums and incentives that never show up on a listing site. Tell me the area, the price range and whether you want a pool or a clubhouse view, and I will send you every 55+ listing that fits as soon as it hits the market. Send me your wish list or call (843) 685-3191.

Staying Active

Golf is the obvious draw, and the Grand Strand has more courses than almost anywhere in the country. But the sport that has grown fastest here is pickleball — there are seventeen places to play across Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, with major new complexes opening, and it is especially popular with the 55+ crowd.

Several 55+ communities have their own courts, and most sit within a short drive of a recreation center with indoor courts. If that matters to you, it is worth factoring in alongside the house itself.

Let Me Be Your Guide

Retirement buyers usually have two questions the listings cannot answer: what the community actually feels like day to day, and what it will cost to run once the novelty wears off.

Association fees vary widely between 55+ communities, and what they cover varies more. Some include lawn maintenance and full amenity access; others cover the gate and little else. Two communities at the same home price can differ by hundreds a month. I walk through those numbers, and the healthcare and tax questions behind them, in my Retiring to Myrtle Beach guide.

For more information about Myrtle Beach Retirement Communities or to schedule a showing please call or text Ashley DeLong, REALTOR® at (843) 685-3191 today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 55+ communities in Myrtle Beach?

There are more than forty across the Grand Strand. The ones buyers ask about most are Del Webb Grande Dunes, Waterside Edge and Waterside Pointe at Grande Dunes, Del Webb North Myrtle Beach and Waters Edge in North Myrtle Beach, The Grove at Coastal Grand and Island Green in Myrtle Beach, Carillon at Tuscany in Carolina Forest, Myrtle Trace, Myrtle Trace Grande and Myrtle Trace South in Conway, and Seasons at Prince Creek, Woodlake Village and Spring Forest in Murrells Inlet.

Does South Carolina tax Social Security?

No. Social Security income is fully exempt from South Carolina income tax, and there is no local income tax at county or city level.

What is the homestead exemption for retirees?

If you are 65 or older and have held South Carolina residency for at least one year, the first $50,000 of your home's fair market value is exempt from property tax assessment. It also applies at any age if you are permanently and totally disabled or legally blind. It is not applied automatically, so you need to claim it.

Is Myrtle Beach a good place to retire?

Myrtle Beach is among the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country for residents 65 and over. Low property taxes, no tax on Social Security, a mild climate and a large concentration of golf courses and 55+ communities are the reasons most often cited. See the Retiring to Myrtle Beach guide for costs, healthcare and where to live.

Which 55+ communities are gated?

Waterside Edge and Waterside Pointe are gated sections within Del Webb at Grande Dunes, and Carillon at Tuscany is a gated 55+ section in Carolina Forest.

What is there to do for active retirees?

Golf, fishing piers and charter boats, the casino boats at Little River, and the Shag clubs on Ocean Drive in North Myrtle Beach. Pickleball has grown quickly, with seventeen places to play across the area and more complexes opening.

Let's work together.

Thinking about retiring to the Grand Strand? Ashley DeLong can walk you through the communities, the fees and what the tax picture actually looks like.

Contact Me! Call Ashley