City of Myrtle Beach refutes study claiming it as a top dangerous beaches

After a study called Myrtle Beach the second most dangerous beach in the country, the city called it “misleading and false.”

Everly Life Insurance gave Myrtle Beach a 56.7 out of 100 danger score based on its water dangers and high crime rate. This put it in the number two spot behind New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

“This ‘study’ is misleading, flawed, and clearly skewed. Like many reports produced by life insurance companies, its primary purpose appears to be marketing and not public service. That’s evident in the use of outdated data sources, including ‘shark attack records’ dating back to 1882, as well as wind and crime statistics from 2009-2015 and 2023, respectively,” said Myrtle Beach spokesperson Meredith Denari in an email to The Sun News. “In reality, the Myrtle Beach Police Department continues to report downward trends in crime and downtown revitalization efforts are ongoing.”

The company calculated its danger score based on shark attacks, drowning incidents, wind conditions, and crime rates. Everly Life found Myrtle Beach has had 36 reported shark attacks since the 1880s, an excessive drowning rate of 1.7 per 100,000 people and a high crime rate, per FBI data.

“What makes Myrtle Beach particularly concerning is the combination of water dangers and crime,” said marketing director Meredith Bell in a press release. “Visitors need to be vigilant both in and out of the water.”

Everly Life used crime data from Areavibe found Myrtle Beach has 176% more violent crime and 207% more property crime than the national average in 2023. Areavibe sources its data from the FBI, with 2023 as the most recent year.

One thing to consider is that the Myrtle Beach crime rate appears to be based on the city’s permanent population while the number of people in the city grows exponentially during the summer. This may inflate the crime percentage when looking at number of offenses per 100,000 people.

As for drownings, over a dozen people drowned in the Myrtle Beach area in 2023, The Sun News reported. In 2024, the number of drowning deaths dropped to three.

This isn’t the first time Myrtle Beach has ranked high as a dangerous beach. Two separate law firms found Myrtle Beach to be one of the top 25 most dangerous beaches and the fifth most dangerous spring break destination, The Sun News reported.

Everly Life recommends people check out the surf and weather conditions before entering the water, swimming near a life guard and making sure to secure their belongings.

Here is the entire list from Everly Life.

1. New Smyrna Beach, Florida

2. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

3. Oak Island, North Carolina

4. Miami Beach, Florida

5. Jacksonville Beach, Florida

6. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

7. Miramar Beach, Florida

8. Panama City Beach, Florida

9. Gulf Shores, Alabama

10. Ponce Inlet, Florida