Moving to Bucksport, SC: Living in Bucksport

Bucksport is a small river community in southwestern Horry County, set along the Waccamaw River between Conway and the Georgetown County line. It has deep roots in the timber trade, a marina and RV campground on the water, and a quiet, rural pace that feels a world away from the high-rises on Ocean Boulevard, even though the beach is only about 25 miles away by road.

Bucksport suits people who want land, trees and river access more than neighborhood amenities: retirees, veterans, boaters, anglers, and families who already have ties to the area. It is also a practical base for anyone who works in Conway and wants a lower-key setting. Homes here come in every shape, from older family homesteads to manufactured homes and newer builds on larger lots, so expect to do some homework on each property.

Planning a move to Bucksport? Call our NC & SC team at 910-758-0081 or get your price online.

Where Is Bucksport?

Bucksport is a census-designated place (CDP) in southwestern Horry County. According to the Census Bureau, the CDP covers about 4.2 square miles, stretching from the Waccamaw River in the southeast to U.S. Route 701 in the north. Bucksport Road is the main road through the community.

Distances from Bucksport:

Conway (Horry County seat): about 11 miles northeast along US-701
Georgetown: about 25 miles southwest along US-701
Myrtle Beach: about 12 miles away as the crow flies, but about 25 miles by highway, because you have to cross the Waccamaw River and the Intracoastal Waterway

For flights, most residents use Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), which advertises more than 50 nonstop destinations on 10 airline partners. US-701 is your main north-south route, and most trips toward the beach run through Conway or across the river to the SC-707 and US-17 corridors.

The name has a story behind it. Henry Buck of Bucksport, Maine, moved to South Carolina in the 1820s to start lumber mills, and one of them stood in what became Bucksport. By 1850, the sawmills in Bucksport and nearby Bucksville were producing three million board feet of lumber a year. Buck shipped lumber to Georgetown, Charleston, New York and Boston, and some of it went into the Brooklyn Bridge.

Bucksport Population & Demographics

Bucksport is small, and it has been shrinking slowly. The CDP had 1,117 residents at the 2000 Census, 876 in 2010 and 745 at the 2020 Census. The latest American Community Survey estimate is 747 people.

One important caution: with fewer than 800 residents, Census survey numbers for Bucksport come with very wide margins of error. Treat the table below as a rough sketch, and use the Horry County column for a more reliable picture of the area.

Measure (ACS 2020–2024)	Bucksport CDP	Horry County	South Carolina
Population	747	383,016	5,296,225
Population (2020 Census)	745	—	—
Median age	50.1	48.7	40.2
Median household income	Not published	$66,880	$69,324
Per capita income	$31,943	$38,025	$39,236
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25+)	21.5%	27.1%	32.1%
Owner-occupied homes	72.5%	77.3%	71.9%
Veterans (share of adults)	17.6%	8.9%	8.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, via Census Reporter. Population history from the decennial Census, via Wikipedia.

Bucksport has about 265 households averaging 2.8 people each, a little larger than the metro average of 2.4. It is a historically African American community: at the 2020 Census, 88.6% of residents identified as Black or African American.

Is Bucksport Safe?

We did not find a reliable, recent crime data source for Bucksport itself, so we are not going to quote one. Bucksport is unincorporated, which means law enforcement comes from the Horry County Police Department. The department splits the county into five precincts to provide quicker service. If you have questions about a specific road or property, call the non-emergency line and ask, and visit the area at different times of day before you buy.

Cost of Living in Bucksport

Home Prices

The Census Bureau puts the median value of owner-occupied homes in the Bucksport CDP at $186,300 (2020–2024), with a wide margin of error. That compares with $287,700 across Horry County and $259,000 statewide, so Bucksport is one of the more affordable corners of the county.

For recent sales, look at ZIP code 29527, which Bucksport shares with part of the Conway area. Redfin reports a median sale price of $293,373 for the three months ending August 2026, up 3.7% from a year earlier. There were 178 sales, and homes spent a median of 93 days on the market. Redfin calls the ZIP “somewhat competitive,” with homes typically selling for about 2% below list price. Because that ZIP includes newer subdivisions closer to Conway, prices in Bucksport proper often come in lower.

Rent

There are very few rentals in Bucksport, and the Census Bureau does not publish a median rent for the CDP. Across Horry County, the median gross rent is $1,255 a month (2020–2024), a bit above the South Carolina median of $1,180 and below the national median of $1,413. Many renters working in the area look in Conway, which has a much larger rental market.

Best Areas in and Around Bucksport

Bucksport is too small for formal neighborhoods, so here is how the area breaks down in practice.

The Riverfront off Bucksport Road

The south end of the community runs down to the Waccamaw River, home to Bucksport Marina and its RV campground. Properties near the water suit boaters, kayakers and anglers who want to launch close to home. The trade-off is flood risk. Before you buy anything near the river, check the flood zone, ask about past high water, and price flood insurance. Horry County’s emergency management office specifically warns that anyone in flood-prone areas along local waterways should consider evacuating in a storm, whatever their evacuation zone.

The US-701 Corridor

Homes along and just off US-701 on the north side of Bucksport give you the quickest drive to Conway and to Georgetown. This area suits commuters, including people who work at the hospitals, schools or county government in Conway. Expect a mix of older homes, manufactured homes and open lots. Traffic on 701 moves quickly, so look at how the driveway meets the highway, especially if you have teenage drivers.

Rural Lots and Family Land

Much of Bucksport is wooded land and family property handed down through generations. If you are building or buying acreage, you get privacy and room for a shop, garden or boat. You also need to check well and septic systems, road access and whether the lot has any heirs’ property questions. A local real estate attorney is worth the fee here.

Weather & Climate

Bucksport shares the humid, subtropical climate of the Grand Strand, with long, hot summers and short, mild winters. The closest published long-term normals are for Myrtle Beach (NOAA 1991–2020). Being inland, Bucksport often runs a bit warmer on summer afternoons and cooler on winter nights than the beach.

January: average high 55.5°F, average low 33.6°F
July: average high 87.4°F, average low 71.6°F
Rainfall: about 53.6 inches a year; July through September are the wettest months, with 6.2 to 6.8 inches each

The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. The National Hurricane Center puts the peak on September 10, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October. Inland river communities feel hurricanes mostly through rain and river flooding, which can arrive days after a storm passes, as upstream water drains down the Waccamaw.

Best time to move: October through early December and March through May bring milder temperatures and fewer storms. If you must move in summer, start early in the morning.

Things to Do in Bucksport

Bucksport Marina

Bucksport Marina, at 135 Bucksport Road, is the community’s main gathering spot. It has long-term and short-term boat slips, an RV campground with daily and monthly sites, kayak rentals, and live entertainment in summer. It is an easy way to get on the Waccamaw River without owning a boat.

Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge

The refuge covers 22,931 acres of wetlands along the Waccamaw, Great Pee Dee and Little Pee Dee rivers in Horry, Georgetown and Marion counties. It has interpretive nature trails, a mountain biking trail, a boardwalk and a picnic pavilion, plus paddling through blackwater swamp. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notes more than 200 bird species, including swallow-tailed kites. The visitor center sits just north of Georgetown on US-701 at Yauhannah, a straight shot down the highway from Bucksport.

Conway Riverwalk and Downtown Conway

A short drive up US-701, Conway’s Riverwalk is a 1.5-mile round-trip boardwalk and paved path along the Waccamaw River, with restrooms, picnic areas and a playground near Riverfront Park and the Conway Marina. Downtown Conway’s shops and restaurants are a few blocks away.

L.W. Paul Living History Farm

Run by the Horry County Museum near Conway, this 17-acre working farm shows what life was like for an Horry County farm family between 1900 and 1955. It is a good outing for kids and for anyone curious about the rural history that shaped places like Bucksport.

Bucksport Library

Bucksport has its own branch of the Horry County Memorial Library, which is handy for internet access, story times and community notices after you move in.

Where to Eat in Bucksport

Captain Buck’s at Bucksport Marina

Bucksport Marina on Bucksport Road describes itself as a marina, RV campground and restaurant, and its restaurant section goes by Captain Buck’s. There is live entertainment in summer. It is the closest sit-down spot in the community and a fun place to watch boats come and go on the river.

Rivertown Bistro (Conway)

For a nicer dinner, Rivertown Bistro in downtown Conway’s historic district has been open since June 7, 1994. It serves a seasonal, Southern-rooted menu, and its upstairs deck overlooks downtown.

The Trestle Bakery and Cafe (Conway)

Also in downtown Conway, The Trestle serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturday, with a separate bakery a few doors down for sourdough bread, donuts, cakes and pastries. It is a handy stop on moving day, too.

Jobs & Economy

Bucksport grew up around timber, and the lumber industry is still part of the county economy. Canfor Southern Pine, a lumber and wood products company, is one of Horry County’s top industrial employers with about 275 workers, according to the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation (MBREDC).

Most Bucksport residents commute. The biggest employers are in and around Conway and Myrtle Beach. MBREDC lists Horry County’s largest employers as:

Horry County School District: about 6,400 employees
Coastal Carolina University: about 2,700
Horry County Government: about 2,650
Conway Medical Center: about 1,800
McLeod Seacoast: about 1,700
Grand Strand Regional Medical Center: about 1,300

Several of these are in Conway, about 11 miles from Bucksport, which makes the commute easy. Tourism jobs are plentiful in Myrtle Beach and along the south strand, but plan on a longer drive for those.

Schools in Bucksport

Bucksport is served by Horry County Schools, the only school district in the county. The district is the third-largest in South Carolina, with more than 45,000 students (2018–19) in 56 schools, organized into nine attendance areas. School assignments go by street address, so use the district’s “Find My School” tool before you sign a contract on a home.

For higher education, Horry-Georgetown Technical College’s main campus is on Highway 501 East in Conway, next to Coastal Carolina University. HGTC offers more than 65 degree and certificate programs, and it also has campuses in Myrtle Beach and Georgetown.

Bucksport Quick Facts

County	Horry County
Type	Unincorporated census-designated place
ZIP code	29527
Area code	843
Population (2020 Census)	745
Area	About 4.2 square miles
Main roads	US-701, Bucksport Road
Nearest commercial airport	Myrtle Beach International (MYR)
Nearby towns	Conway (about 11 miles), Georgetown (about 25 miles)
School district	Horry County Schools
Law enforcement	Horry County Police Department

Moving to Bucksport: Tips From Our Crew

Tell us about the driveway. Long dirt or gravel driveways, soft shoulders and low tree limbs are common here. Let us know when you book so we can plan the right truck size and avoid getting stuck after a rain.
Watch the river forecast, not just the weather. After heavy rain upstream, the Waccamaw can keep rising for days. If you are moving near the river in late summer or fall, keep an eye on river gauges and build some flexibility into your date. We never charge a rescheduling fee.
Know your flood and evacuation situation. Look up your address on Horry County’s Know Your Zone map. Even outside an evacuation zone, the county advises people in flood-prone areas along waterways and in mobile homes to consider leaving before a storm.
Plan for heat. July highs average in the upper 80s, and the humidity makes it feel hotter. Book summer moves for early morning, keep water on hand, and have the power and air conditioning turned on at your new home before we arrive.
Protect the boat and trailer. If you are moving a boat, trailer, outboard or fishing gear, tell us in advance. We can plan loading order and help you decide what goes on our truck and what you tow yourself.
Use storage if closing dates don’t line up. Rural closings and new construction often run late. Our storage service can hold your belongings until the house is ready.
Clear out before you load. Old family homes and outbuildings collect decades of tools and furniture. Our junk removal crew can haul away what you don’t want to move.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to Bucksport

How much does it cost to hire movers in Bucksport?

It depends on how much you are moving, how far, and what the access looks like at both homes: long driveways, stairs, docks or outbuildings. A move from Conway to Bucksport is priced very differently from a move from another state. The fastest way to find out is a free quote. Call 910-758-0081, and an owner will call you back, typically within 15 minutes between 8am and 8pm.

Is Bucksport part of Conway?

No. Bucksport is its own unincorporated community and census-designated place in Horry County, about 11 miles southwest of downtown Conway. It shares the 29527 ZIP code with part of the Conway area, so mailing addresses often say “Conway, SC.” County services, not city services, cover Bucksport.

How far is Bucksport from the beach?

Myrtle Beach is only about 12 miles away in a straight line, but the drive is about 25 miles because you have to cross the Waccamaw River and the Intracoastal Waterway. Surfside Beach and Garden City on the south end of the Grand Strand are usually the closest beaches in practice.

Is Bucksport affordable?

Generally, yes. The Census Bureau’s median home value for the Bucksport CDP is $186,300, well below the Horry County median of $287,700. Those figures come with wide margins of error because the community is small, so look at recent sales of comparable properties before you make an offer. Once you have a closing date, our Bucksport movers can give you a free, no-pressure quote.

Do you move people from out of state to Bucksport?

Yes. For long-distance moves, you get a binding estimate, so the price never changes after you book. You also get your own dedicated truck, the same W-2 crew from door to door, and a guaranteed delivery date. Military families receive 5% off, and we handle military moves regularly.

Move to Bucksport With A & M Friendly Movers

A & M Friendly Movers has been family-owned since 2015. Our crews are background-checked, drug-tested W-2 employees, never subcontractors. With our Owner’s Promise, you talk to an owner, not a call center. If anything is damaged, an owner calls you the same day, and claims are resolved in 60–90 days. We handle everything from packing and unpacking to heavy items like safes and pianos. See how our Bucksport movers can help, or call our NC & SC team at 910-758-0081.

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Moving to Bucksport, SC: Living in Bucksport Guide