TL;DR: Conway stands out for stronger year-over-year single-family closed sales, Myrtle Beach single-family homes are selling faster than a year ago, Surfside Beach and Pawleys Island are posting some of the strongest buyer-interest ratios, and Carolina Forest remains a high-volume market even with softer sales activity early in 2026.
Myrtle Beach buyers are no longer looking at the Grand Strand as one uniform market. Current local data shows that speed varies sharply by town, with Conway, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Carolina Forest, and Pawleys Island all moving differently on sales pace, days on market, and showing activity.
When buyers search “Myrtle Beach market by city,” what they usually want to know is simple: where are homes still moving, where has competition cooled, and which towns deserve a closer look right now. February 2026 local market reports and the 2025 annual area report give a clearer answer than broad national headlines.
Myrtle Beach Market by City
The latest local numbers show that “fastest” depends on which measure you use. Closed sales show where demand is converting into transactions, days on market shows how quickly listings are moving, and showing activity helps reveal where buyers are still actively touring homes.
For single-family homes in February 2026, Conway posted 169 closed sales, up 30.0 percent from 130 a year earlier, while North Myrtle Beach rose to 43 closed sales, up 4.9 percent, and Surfside Beach rose to 34, up 36.0 percent. Myrtle Beach proper moved the other direction on volume, with 41 single-family closed sales, down 18.0 percent year over year, though its average time to sell improved meaningfully to 101 days from 142 days.
Carolina Forest remains one of the Grand Strand’s major submarkets by volume, but the February 2026 snapshot was slower than a year ago. Single-family closed sales fell 36.0 percent to 55, while median price still rose 5.5 percent to $442,500, showing that pricing has held up better than transaction pace.
The annual 2025 report adds useful context. Conway finished 2025 with a median price of $306,472, up 3.9 percent from 2024, while Carolina Forest reached $398,944, up 3.6 percent, and North Myrtle Beach ended at $407,950, nearly flat year over year at down 0.5 percent. Myrtle Beach proper finished 2025 with a lower overall median of $260,000, down 5.3 percent from 2024, which helps explain why it remains one of the area’s most active condo-oriented markets.
Local speed snapshot
| Town | Closed Sales (Feb 2026) | YoY Change | Days on Market | YoY Change | Median Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conway | 169 | +30.0% | 135 | -4.3% | $310,000 |
| Myrtle Beach | 41 | -18.0% | 101 | -28.9% | $505,000 |
| North Myrtle Beach | 43 | +4.9% | 124 | +6.9% | $540,000 |
| Surfside Beach | 34 | +36.0% | 144 | +34.6% | $406,750 |
| Carolina Forest | 55 | -36.0% | 140 | +17.6% | $442,500 |
| Pawleys Island / Litchfield | 28 | +47.4% | 175 | +42.3% | $727,500 |
Which towns are moving fastest right now?
If you define “moving fastest” by sales momentum, Conway is one of the clearest leaders in the current data. Its single-family closings were up 30.0 percent year over year in February 2026, and year-to-date closings were up 22.0 percent through the first two months of the year.
If you define “moving fastest” by speed to contract and close, Myrtle Beach proper stands out more than the sales-count headline suggests. Single-family homes there averaged 101 days on market in February 2026, down from 142 days a year earlier, which was one of the sharper improvements among the larger local markets in the report.
Buyer-interest data also shifts the picture. In the February 2026 showings report, Surfside Beach posted a buyer-interest ratio of 3.0, Pawleys Island also came in at 3.0, Murrells Inlet reached 2.7, Little River hit 2.4, and Myrtle Beach registered 2.3 across 7,134 total showings. Those figures suggest that even where closings are mixed, active buyer traffic remains solid in several Grand Strand markets.
Buyer interest by town
| Town | Total Showings (Feb 2026) | Buyer Interest Ratio | Managed Listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach | 7,134 | 2.3 | 3,072 |
| North Myrtle Beach | 2,045 | 2.2 | 950 |
| Conway | 1,716 | 2.2 | 772 |
| Murrells Inlet | 1,433 | 2.7 | 533 |
| Little River | 1,092 | 2.4 | 460 |
| Surfside Beach | 666 | 3.0 | 225 |
| Pawleys Island | 769 | 3.0 | 260 |
What the numbers mean for buyers
For buyers comparing Myrtle Beach, Conway, Carolina Forest, and nearby towns, the market looks more balanced than it did during the peak frenzy years. The 2025 annual report showed Horry County’s median price was $310,000 at year-end 2025, unchanged from 2024, while homes for sale in Horry County totaled 7,207 and months of supply reached 5.2, both signs of a market with more room for comparison shopping than buyers had a few years ago.
That does not mean every town is equally negotiable. Markets with stronger buyer-interest ratios or improving sales momentum can still feel competitive in well-priced segments, especially in Conway, Surfside Beach, Myrtle Beach condos, and select coastal locations. At the same time, places with rising inventory or longer days on market may offer more choice and more pricing spread across listings.
For a short answer to the headline question, Conway looks fastest on single-family sales momentum, Myrtle Beach looks faster on time-to-sale improvement, and Surfside Beach plus Pawleys Island stand out on buyer-interest intensity. That is why buyers on the Grand Strand should compare each town separately rather than relying on one countywide average.
Carolina Crafted Homes stays current on Myrtle Beach market trends and can answer questions about Myrtle Beach market activity by city. Reach out anytime for guidance—no pressure, just straightforward expertise.
FAQS
Which Myrtle Beach area town is moving fastest right now?
The answer depends on the metric. Conway posted 169 single-family closed sales in February 2026, up 30.0 percent year over year, which makes it one of the strongest markets for sales momentum. Myrtle Beach proper, however, improved to 101 days on market for single-family homes, down 28.9 percent from a year earlier, which points to faster movement for listed homes.
Is Myrtle Beach or North Myrtle Beach more active in 2026?
Myrtle Beach is more active by raw showing volume and condo market depth. In February 2026, Myrtle Beach recorded 7,134 showings and 3,072 managed listings, compared with 2,045 showings and 950 managed listings in North Myrtle Beach. North Myrtle Beach still showed steady single-family pricing and slightly higher single-family closed sales growth than Myrtle Beach proper in February.
How is Carolina Forest performing right now?
Carolina Forest remains a high-volume market, but early-2026 activity has cooled compared with early 2025. February 2026 single-family closed sales were 55, down 36.0 percent year over year, while the median price still rose to $442,500, up 5.5 percent. That combination suggests buyers still value the area, but transaction pace has slowed.
Are Surfside Beach and Pawleys Island still attracting buyers?
Yes, both markets continue to show active buyer interest. In the February 2026 showings data, Surfside Beach posted a buyer-interest ratio of 3.0 and Pawleys Island also came in at 3.0, both above Conway, Myrtle Beach, and North Myrtle Beach. Those ratios suggest buyers are still closely engaged with listings in those markets.
Are prices still rising across the Grand Strand?
Not in every town. The 2025 annual Coastal Carolinas report showed Horry County’s median price was flat at $310,000 year over year, while some local markets such as Conway and Carolina Forest rose, and others such as Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach declined from 2024 annual levels. That is one reason city-by-city analysis matters so much in the current market.
