From Pennsylvania to the Grand Strand
For generations, Pennsylvania families have packed the car every summer and driven south to Myrtle Beach. Plenty of them fell in love with the place on those trips, and a lot of them eventually moved here for good.
If you’re one of them, this guide covers what changes when you trade Pennsylvania for the Grand Strand: taxes, weather, getting back home to family, and day-to-day life.
Taxes: Pennsylvania vs. South Carolina
We’ll be straight with you: Pennsylvania is already one of the friendliest states in the country for retirement income. For most retirees, the tax case for South Carolina isn’t about income tax. It’s about property taxes and what you leave your kids.
| Pennsylvania | South Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax rate | 3.07% flat, plus local earned income taxes in many municipalities | 1.99% up to $30,000 of taxable income, 5.21% above (2026) |
| Social Security | Not taxed | Not taxed |
| Pensions, IRA and 401(k) withdrawals | Exempt once you’ve reached retirement (generally 59½ for IRAs) | Taxable, with a retirement income deduction that increases at 65 [CPA to confirm amounts] |
| Inheritance tax | 4.5% on what you leave children and grandchildren; 12% to siblings; 15% to others. Spouses are exempt. | None |
| Property tax on your home | Among the higher rates in the country | Primary homes are assessed at 4% instead of 6%, plus a homestead exemption on the first $50,000 of value at 65+ |
What that means for you:
- Retired, living mostly on Social Security and a pension: Your state income tax may go up a little in South Carolina. Your property tax bill will likely drop a lot.
- Still working: South Carolina’s new rates are competitive with Pennsylvania’s once you add Pennsylvania’s local wage taxes, especially in cities like Philadelphia.
- Thinking about your estate: Pennsylvania taxes what your children inherit. South Carolina doesn’t. For a lot of families, that’s the biggest number on this list.
Every situation is different. Run your own numbers with a tax advisor before you decide.
Weather: goodbye, snow shovel
This is the easy part of the decision. Here’s how a typical January compares:
| City | Average January high | Average January low |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | 36°F | 21°F |
| Philadelphia | 41°F | 26°F |
| Harrisburg | 40°F | 25°F |
| Allentown | 38°F | 22°F |
| Erie | 35°F | 21°F |
| Myrtle Beach | about 56°F | about 38°F |
Myrtle Beach averages about an inch of snow a year, and many years see none at all. Winter here means a light jacket in the morning and golf in the afternoon.
The trade-off is summer. July highs run in the upper 80s with real humidity, and hurricane season runs June through November. For a lot of people coming from Pennsylvania, that’s an easy trade for no more shoveling and no more salt eating away at the car.
Getting home to family (and getting them here)
One of the best things about Myrtle Beach for Pennsylvanians: you’re not that far from home.
Flying. Myrtle Beach International Airport has nonstop service to four Pennsylvania airports:
- Philadelphia (PHL): American Airlines year-round on select days, plus seasonal Frontier service
- Pittsburgh (PIT): seasonal service on Allegiant and Southwest
- Allentown (ABE): Allegiant year-round on select days
- Harrisburg (MDT): seasonal Allegiant service
It’s a short flight, which makes it easy for the grandkids to visit. Routes and seasons change, so check current schedules before you book.
Driving. Most of Pennsylvania is a long day’s drive away, roughly 8 to 10 hours depending on where you start. If you’ve made the summer vacation drive down before, you already know the route. [Verify drive times from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and the Lehigh Valley before publishing.]
What you’ll miss, and what you’ll find
Football Sundays. Steelers and Eagles fans are everywhere on the Grand Strand. Generations of Pennsylvania vacationers and transplants made sure of that. You’ll find black and gold or midnight green in sports bars up and down the coast on game day, and you won’t be the only one in your jersey.
Familiar faces. Myrtle Beach has drawn Pennsylvania families for decades, so you’ll likely meet neighbors from back home quickly. Local social media groups for Pennsylvania transplants are a good place to start, along with golf leagues, churches, and volunteer groups.
Food from home. Some things travel well and some don’t. You may end up bringing back a few favorites when you visit Pennsylvania. You’ll also trade them for fresh local seafood, Lowcountry cooking, and a long list of waterfront restaurants.
What you’ll gain. Year-round golf, the beach without a ten-hour drive to reach it, and a winter that lets you stay outside. Most Pennsylvanians come to Myrtle Beach for a week at a time. Living here means you get it every day.
From the golf trip to home
For a lot of Pennsylvanians, Myrtle Beach didn’t start with family vacations. It started with the golf trip. The same group from the office or the club makes the drive or the short flight down every spring and fall, year after year, and eventually somebody stops going home.
If that sounds familiar, Lauderdale Bay Estates will feel like a natural next step. Arrowhead Country Club, a 27-hole Raymond Floyd design, sits directly across the Intracoastal Waterway, and the community is right on Highway 17 with about 85 Grand Strand courses within easy reach. You’ll be the one hosting the trip from now on.
[Link: From Golf Trip to Golf Home →]
Making the move: the practical stuff
Driver’s license. Your Pennsylvania license is good for 90 days after you become a South Carolina resident. After that, you’ll need to swap it for a South Carolina license at the DMV.
Vehicle title and registration. You have 45 days to transfer your title and registration. Something Pennsylvanians aren’t used to: South Carolina charges an annual property tax on vehicles, and you pay it to the county before you can register. New residents also pay a one-time infrastructure maintenance fee when they bring a car in from out of state.
Declare your primary residence. Apply for the 4% primary residence property tax rate with Horry County as soon as you can. It’s not automatic, and it makes a big difference on your tax bill.
Selling your Pennsylvania home. If you’re building new, line up your Pennsylvania sale with your construction timeline so you’re not carrying two homes for long. Talk with your agent back home and your builder here early.
Taxes in the year you move. You’ll likely file part-year returns in both states that year. Your tax preparer can sort out the details.
Find your place on the water
If you’ve spent years driving down for a week at the beach, Lauderdale Bay Estates is a chance to make it permanent. Single-story, all-brick Mediterranean homes sit on the Intracoastal Waterway, about 5 minutes from The Market Common and about 10 minutes from the beach. Low-maintenance coastal living, with no more shoveling.
Phase II homesites are available now.
Questions? Call Ashley Taylor at Native Homes Realty, 843-215-9379
This article is general information, not tax, legal, or financial advice. Tax rules, flight routes, and DMV requirements change; confirm the details for your situation.
