TL;DR: Myrtle Beach short-term rentals averaged $280 per night at 53% occupancy as of June 2026, according to AirDNA (July 2026). That figure covers the entire market — no public dataset separates oceanfront rates from second-row rates. This guide covers what you actually trade when you move back a row, and how to price the ocean view against a specific property for your week.
Myrtle Beach had 19,903 active short-term rental listings as of June 2026, according to AirDNA (July 2026). Roughly 47% of their available nights went unbooked. That's a market with real choice in it — which is exactly why the second-row question comes up so often.
"Is the ocean view worth it" sounds like a pricing question. It usually isn't. Nightly rates for a specific week depend on the building, the unit, the bedroom count, and the calendar far more than on a single row of distance. What changes when you move back is the daily experience of the stay. Understanding that trade honestly makes the price comparison much easier to run yourself.
What "Second-Row" Actually Means on the Grand Strand
Second-row is local shorthand, not a formal designation. It describes a property on the first street back from the oceanfront parcel — typically one row of buildings between you and the sand.
The term matters here because it isn't standardized anywhere. Listing platforms don't have a "second-row" filter. Property descriptions use it loosely, and so do the words around it:
Oceanfront — the property sits directly on the beach parcel
Ocean view — the ocean is visible, but the property may not be on the front row
Second-row — first street back, usually a short walk to a public or shared access point
Ocean block — within the block nearest the ocean, position unspecified
That last one does a lot of quiet work in listing copy. A property can be described as "steps to the beach" from several rows back. The only reliable check is a map and the property's actual address — not the adjective in the headline.
Distance also isn't the whole story. A second-row property with a direct walkway to a beach access may put you on the sand faster than an oceanfront building with a single elevator bank and a long interior corridor.
Second-Row vs. Oceanfront in Myrtle Beach: What a Week Costs Right Now
Here's the honest limitation: no source available to us breaks Myrtle Beach nightly rates out by row. AirDNA's published market data is market-wide, and AirDNA notes directly that market-level averages hide wide variation across a market.
What we can anchor is the market baseline.
Myrtle Beach short-term rental market snapshot — June 2026
| Metric | June 2026 | Year-Over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| Active listings | 19,903 | − 6.0% |
| Average daily rate | $280 | + 8.4% |
| Occupancy | 53% | − 5.3% |
| RevPAR | $147 | + 1.2% |
Source: AirDNA, Myrtle Beach short-term rental market data (updated July 2026). Figures are market-wide averages across Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com listings.
Seven nights at that market average works out to roughly $1,960 before cleaning fees, taxes, and other charges. Treat it as a reference point, not a quote.
Two details are worth reading together. Average daily rates rose 8.4% year over year, while occupancy fell 5.3% and active listings fell 6.0%. Rates moved up in a market where a substantial share of nights still went unbooked.
Seasonality is pronounced. Myrtle Beach scores 43 out of 100 on AirDNA's seasonality measure, where a lower score reflects a wider gap between the strongest and weakest revenue months. Your specific week likely matters more to the final number than your row does.
What You Trade When You Move Back a Row
This is where the decision actually lives. The factors below are the ones worth checking on a specific listing — they aren't market data, and they vary property to property.
Decision factors to verify — not market data
| Factor | Oceanfront — What to Check | Second-Row — What to Check |
|---|---|---|
| Beach access | Elevator wait and corridor distance at peak hours | Exact walking route and whether a street crossing is involved |
| Sightlines | Whether the view is direct or angled from your floor | What sits between the unit and the water, and how tall it is |
| Noise | Proximity to pool decks and boardwalk activity | Traffic on the adjacent street, especially evenings |
| Parking | Spaces included per unit and any garage fee | Whether on-site parking covers your whole group |
| Space | Bedroom count relative to group size | Whether stepping back buys square footage you'd use |
The pattern most travelers land on: if you plan to spend the week on the sand, access speed beats the view. If you plan to spend mornings on a balcony, the view is the product you're buying.
How to Price the Ocean View for Your Week
Since no published dataset gives you a row-by-row premium, build your own comparison. It takes about fifteen minutes.
Lock your dates first. Given how much rates swing by season, comparing two properties across different weeks tells you nothing useful.
Match the specs. Same bedroom count, same bathroom count, similar guest capacity. A three-bedroom second-row house against a one-bedroom oceanfront condo is not a comparison.
Price the full stay, not the nightly rate. Cleaning fees, resort fees, and parking charges vary widely and can close or widen the gap substantially.
Check the address on a map. Confirm the actual distance and the walking route rather than trusting listing language.
Divide the difference by seven. If the oceanfront unit costs $420 more for the week, you're paying about $60 a day for the view. That's a question you can answer.
Short-term rental rules differ across the Grand Strand — the City of Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, and unincorporated Horry County are separate jurisdictions with separate ordinances. Confirm the property's rules with the manager before booking.
When a Week Turns Into a Longer Look
Plenty of Grand Strand buyers start as repeat visitors. According to the NAR REALTORS® Confidence Index (February 2026), sales intended for vacation use made up 5% of transactions nationally.
If that's on your mind, know that submarket matters enormously. According to CCAR MLS (April 2026), the median condo sale price was $208,500 in Myrtle Beach and $342,900 in North Myrtle Beach — different markets with different math, before you even reach the question of view tier.
Two related reads: our breakdown of Myrtle Beach short-term rental income, and our look at vacation rental potential in new builds. More is collected under our Vacation Home posts.
If you're booking a week, Carolina Crafted Getaways can walk you through specific properties and what the access actually looks like from each one. And if a week on the Grand Strand has you thinking further ahead — about what it costs to own something here rather than rent it — that's a different conversation with different numbers. We're happy to walk through both. Reach out whenever you'd like to talk it through.
FAQ SECTION
What does "second-row" mean in Myrtle Beach?
Second-row is local shorthand for a property on the first street back from the oceanfront parcel, with one row of buildings between it and the beach. It isn't a formal or standardized designation, and booking platforms don't offer it as a filter. Listing language varies — "ocean view," "ocean block," and "steps to the beach" can all describe properties at different distances. The reliable check is the property's actual address on a map rather than the phrasing in the listing headline.
Is oceanfront worth the extra cost for a one-week stay?
It depends on how you'll spend the week. If most of your time will be on the sand, access speed matters more than sightlines — and an oceanfront high-rise with long elevator waits can be slower than a second-row property with a direct walkway. If you plan to spend mornings on a balcony, the view is the thing you're paying for. Price both options for identical dates and matched specs, then divide the difference by seven to see the daily cost of the view.
How much does a week in Myrtle Beach cost?
According to AirDNA (July 2026), the market-wide average daily rate was $280 as of June 2026, up 8.4% year over year. Seven nights at that average is roughly $1,960 before cleaning fees, taxes, and other charges. That figure is a market-wide reference point, not a quote — rates vary substantially by property type, bedroom count, and season. Myrtle Beach scores 43 out of 100 on AirDNA's seasonality measure, reflecting a wide gap between the strongest and weakest months.
Is it hard to find availability in Myrtle Beach?
Occupancy across the market averaged 53% over the trailing twelve months as of June 2026, per AirDNA (July 2026), meaning roughly 47% of available nights went unbooked. Active listings totaled 19,903, down 6.0% year over year. Those are annual averages across all seasons, so peak weeks will be considerably tighter than the average suggests. Booking further ahead for high-demand dates remains sensible.
Do short-term rental rules differ around the Grand Strand?
Yes. The City of Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, and unincorporated Horry County are legally separate jurisdictions, each with its own ordinances governing short-term rentals. Rules that apply to one address may not apply to another a few miles away. Confirm specifics with the property manager or the relevant municipality before booking, and consult a licensed professional for questions about a property you're considering purchasing.
Sources
AirDNA — Myrtle Beach Short-Term Rental Market Data (accessed 2026): https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/us/south-carolina/myrtle-beach/overview
Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS® (CCAR MLS) — Local Market Update, April 2026: https://www.ccarsc.org/pages/marketstats/
National Association of REALTORS® — REALTORS® Confidence Index, February 2026: https://www.nar.realtor/
