<P> According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.5 square miles (19.5 km), of which 6.9 square miles (17.9 km) are land and 0.62 square miles (1.6 km), or 8.06%, is water . </P> <P> Winyah Bay was formed from a submergent or drowned coastline . The original rivers had a lower baseline, but either the ocean rose or the land sank, flooding the river valleys and making a good location for a harbor . </P> <P> U.S. Routes 17, 17A, 521, and 701 meet in the center of Georgetown . US 17 leads southwest 60 miles (97 km) to Charleston and northeast 34 miles (55 km) to Myrtle Beach, US 701 leads north 36 miles (58 km) to Conway, US 521 leads northwest 82 miles (132 km) to Sumter, and US 17A leads west 32 miles (51 km) to Jamestown . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> Historical population </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Census </Th> <Th> Pop . </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th>% ± </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1850 </Td> <Td> 1,628 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td>--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1860 </Td> <Td> 1,720 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 5.7% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1870 </Td> <Td> 2,080 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 20.9% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1880 </Td> <Td> 2,557 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 22.9% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1890 </Td> <Td> 2,895 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 13.2% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1900 </Td> <Td> 4,138 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 42.9% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1910 </Td> <Td> 5,530 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 33.6% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1920 </Td> <Td> 4,579 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> − 17.2% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1930 </Td> <Td> 5,082 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 11.0% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1940 </Td> <Td> 5,559 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 9.4% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1950 </Td> <Td> 6,004 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 8.0% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1960 </Td> <Td> 12,261 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 104.2% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1970 </Td> <Td> 10,449 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> − 14.8% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1980 </Td> <Td> 10,144 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> − 2.9% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> 9,517 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> − 6.2% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> 8,950 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> − 6.0% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> 9,163 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2.4% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Est. 2016 </Td> <Td> 9,024 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> − 1.5% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> U.S. Decennial Census </Td> </Tr> </Table>

How far is georgetown sc from charleston sc