Veterans in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand
Where to get VA care, who helps you file a claim for free, and what South Carolina and North Carolina give veterans, from Pawleys Island and Myrtle Beach to Southport.
About 47,200 veterans live in Horry, Georgetown and Brunswick counties (9.4% of adults), and about 500 residents serve in the armed forces. VA care nearby: Myrtle Beach VA Clinic and Brunswick County VA Clinic. South Carolina: military retired pay is not taxed; North Carolina: retired pay deductible after 20 years or a medical retirement.
Veterans Crisis LineDial 988 and press 1 · text 838255 · chat online. Free, confidential, 24/7.
Grand Strand Veterans Guide is presented by: this guide has one sponsor spot, and it is open.
Towns with the most veterans
Tap a column to sort. Veterans are the share of adults 18 and older; armed forces is the share of residents 16 and older on active duty. Town names open each town's full guide.
| Town | Population | Veterans | Armed forces | Median home value | Median rent | Nearest VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murrells Inlet | 10,044 | 13.7% | 0% | $366,000 | $1,751 | 11.3 mi |
| Oak Island | 9,030 | 12.6% | 0% | $456,500 | $1,339 | 11.9 mi |
| Little River | 11,771 | 12.3% | 0% | $305,800 | $1,528 | 21.6 mi |
| Southport | 4,205 | 12.1% | 0% | $437,700 | $1,426 | 17.1 mi |
| Pawleys Island | 170 | 12% | 0% | $1,694,400 | 20.8 mi | |
| Leland | 29,607 | 11.9% | 0.2% | $398,900 | $1,735 | 7.9 mi |
| Forestbrook | 7,479 | 10.7% | 0.3% | $335,800 | $814 | 3.6 mi |
| Surfside Beach | 4,270 | 10.5% | 0.5% | $450,100 | $1,274 | 5.7 mi |
| Shallotte | 4,639 | 9.9% | 0.6% | $349,500 | $1,256 | 5.5 mi |
| North Myrtle Beach | 19,855 | 9.3% | 0% | $416,900 | $1,263 | 16.5 mi |
| Holden Beach | 962 | 8.6% | 0% | $658,900 | $1,475 | 6.9 mi |
| Sunset Beach | 4,351 | 8.4% | 0% | $410,900 | $537 | 14.5 mi |
| Ocean Isle Beach | 903 | 7.7% | 0% | $835,500 | 12.8 mi | |
| Myrtle Beach | 38,371 | 7.4% | 0.1% | $388,800 | $1,261 | 3.2 mi |
| Loris | 2,645 | 7.3% | 0.6% | $214,300 | $694 | 26.0 mi |
| Georgetown | 8,565 | 7.1% | 0.1% | $168,100 | $780 | 29.4 mi |
| Aynor | 1,112 | 6.6% | 0% | $255,700 | $1,160 | 27.1 mi |
| Conway | 27,263 | 6.4% | 0.2% | $260,900 | $866 | 12.8 mi |
| Carolina Forest | 26,263 | 6.4% | 0% | $336,800 | $1,668 | 5.9 mi |
| Bolivia | 247 | 5% | 4.5% | $290,000 | $1,167 | 9.3 mi |
| Andrews | 3,485 | 4% | 0.7% | $116,400 | $1,043 | 39.9 mi |
VA health care in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand
Primary care, mental health, geriatrics, lab and imaging (X-ray, ultrasound, mammography, CT, PET and MRI).
Free help with VA claims
County and state veteran service officers are trained and accredited to help you file disability, pension and survivor claims, appeal a decision and enroll in VA health care. The help is free: you never have to pay anyone to file a VA claim.
Help with claims, appeals and VA health care enrollment, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
By appointment, for Brunswick County residents.
State benefits for veterans
South Carolina
Military retired pay is not taxed
- South Carolina does not tax military retired pay, and Social Security is not taxed.
- Veterans with a 100% total and permanent VA disability rating pay no property tax on their home and up to 5 acres, or on two private passenger vehicles (form PT-401I with the SC Department of Revenue).
- The "Veteran" designation on a driver license, permit or ID card is free for honorably discharged veterans; apply in person at an SCDMV office.
- Disabled resident veterans get free three-year hunting and fishing licenses.
- Veterans with 90 or more days of active duty, and their eligible dependents, pay in-state tuition no matter how long they have lived in South Carolina.
- The state runs six veterans nursing homes for veterans who have lived in South Carolina at least one year.
North Carolina
Retired pay deductible after 20 years or a medical retirement
- Military retired pay for 20 or more years of service, or for a medical retirement, can be deducted from North Carolina income. Social Security is not taxed.
- Disabled Veteran Homestead Exclusion: the first $45,000 of appraised value of a qualifying disabled veteran's home is exempt from property tax.
- The "VETERAN" designation on a driver license or ID card is free for honorably discharged veterans (renewal or duplicate fees still apply).
- Resident veterans rated 50% or more disabled can buy lifetime hunting and fishing licenses starting at $14.
- Veterans get 10 preference points on scored state jobs.
- Four state veterans homes (Salisbury, Black Mountain, Kinston and Kernersville) and four state veterans cemeteries.
Your first 30 days as a veteran here
- Enroll in VA health care, or ask the local clinic to move your care here.
- Meet your county veteran service officer before you file anything. It is free.
- Lost your DD-214? Request a free copy from the National Archives.
- Get a Veteran ID Card for discounts at local businesses.
- Buying a home? Check your VA home loan eligibility first.
- South Carolina: Driver's license, car registration and the free veteran designation with South Carolina DMV; register to vote at SC Votes
- North Carolina: Driver's license, car registration and the free veteran designation with NCDMV; register to vote at NC State Board of Elections
Local insurance agencies for veterans in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand
Veteran-owned business?
Honoring service
Veterans Day is Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. Find ceremonies and parades in our events calendar.
Nearest VA national cemetery to the Grand Strand.
Served? Help the next veteran
We publish short answers from readers after an editor reviews them, never with your address, unit or rank unless you ask.
- What helped you settle in: neighborhoods, schools, commutes, what you wish you knew.
- Ask a local: send a question and we will answer it on this page or in a story.
- Add a ceremony, reunion or post meeting: free listing in our events calendar.
Veterans news and guides
- Veteran Village in Florence: the state veterans home closest to Horry County
- Free hunting and fishing licenses for disabled veterans in SC and NC: who qualifies
- Free help filing a VA claim in Horry, Georgetown and Brunswick counties
- Inside the Myrtle Beach VA clinic: services, enrollment and how to switch your care
- South Carolina vs. North Carolina for veterans: retired pay, property tax and licenses
- Retiring in Myrtle Beach: how SC taxes Social Security, pensions and military pay
Questions veterans ask in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand
Does South Carolina tax military retired pay?
Military retired pay is not taxed. South Carolina does not tax military retired pay, and Social Security is not taxed.
Does North Carolina tax military retired pay?
Retired pay deductible after 20 years or a medical retirement. Military retired pay for 20 or more years of service, or for a medical retirement, can be deducted from North Carolina income. Social Security is not taxed.
Where can veterans get free help filing a VA claim in Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand?
Horry County Veterans Affairs, 1949 Industrial Park Road, Suite 101, Conway, SC 29526, 843-915-5480; Georgetown County Veterans Affairs, 537 Lafayette Circle, Georgetown, SC 29440, 843-545-3330; Brunswick County Veterans Services, 10 Referendum Drive, Building F, Bolivia, NC 28422, 910-253-2233. Accredited service officers help at no cost.
Where are the VA clinics near Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand?
Myrtle Beach VA Clinic, 1800 Airpark Drive, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577; Brunswick County VA Clinic, 18 Doctors Circle, Suite 2, Supply, NC 28462; Wilmington VA Clinic, 1705 Gardner Road, Wilmington, NC 28405.
How do I reach the Veterans Crisis Line?
Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net. It is free, confidential and open 24/7, for veterans, service members and their families.