Horry County SC vs Brunswick County NC — Property Tax Comparison

The SC/NC border runs through the northern Grand Strand market. Sea Trail (Sunset Beach NC), Brunswick Plantation (Calabash NC), and Meadowlands Golf Club (Calabash NC) sit in Brunswick County, NC. All Grand Strand SC communities sit in Horry County, SC. Same coastal retirement lifestyle, two different tax jurisdictions — and the math matters. SC's stacked advantage for 65+ primary residents: 4% assessment ratio + 0,000 homestead exemption + school operating mill exemption. On a 00,000 home, SC produces an estimated annual property tax of ,100–,500 for a qualifying 65+ primary resident. North Carolina's senior exemption structure: NC offers an elderly/disabled exclusion of either 5,000 or 50% of assessed value (whichever is greater) for residents 65+ meeting income qualifications (income must not exceed 6,700 in 2025–2026). Brunswick County's millage rate is approximately /bin/sh.485 per 00 assessed value (county portion) plus municipal rates. For a 00,000 home in Brunswick County, a qualifying 65+ buyer (income under 6,700) pays approximately 00–,200/year. For a buyer who does not qualify for the income-limited NC exemption, the annual tax runs approximately ,800–,400. The comparison: SC wins for buyers who do not meet NC's income threshold for the elderly exclusion. SC and NC are roughly comparable for buyers who qualify for NC's income-based exemption. The Sea Trail and Brunswick Plantation communities themselves are worth serious consideration — larger, golf-oriented, with established resale markets. The tax advantage of SC should be one factor, not the only one.