Saluda, SC · standard

ZIP Code 29138

Saluda County, South Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

10,883
19/sq mi
$44,579
Median income
$136,100
Median home value
16.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Saluda pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

9th pct
household income, US ZIPs
21th pct
home value, US ZIPs
19
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29138 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 29138 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 572.8 square miles in Saluda, Saluda County, South Carolina. The area is home to 10,883 residents, producing a population density of 19 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 29138 against South Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 29138 sits at $44,579 (30% below the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $25,235. The poverty rate stands at 23.1% and the unemployment rate at 2.2%. On housing, the median home value is $136,100 (40% below the state average) with median rent at $839 per month, and 71.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 29138 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 16.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.3, and the average commute is 26 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 1 additional ZIPs sharing Saluda County, so you can benchmark 29138 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 29138

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29138.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 29138, Saluda, SC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

10,883

Population

572.8

Area (sq mi)

19

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 29138?

38.3

Median Age

49.9%

Male

50.1%

Female

8.8%

Foreign-Born

White 48.1%
African American 25.2%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 18.8%
Hispanic or Latino 24.5%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$44,579

Median Household Income

-30% vs state

$25,235

Per Capita Income

23.1%

Poverty Rate

2.2%

Unemployment Rate

26.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 29138 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$44,579 9th percentile higher than 9% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 52.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

4,541

Total Housing Units

3,808

Occupied Units

733

Vacant Units

2.57

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 71.5%
Renter 28.5%

$136,100

Median Home Value

-40% vs state

$839

Median Rent

1986

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 142 business establishments in ZIP 29138, employing approximately 1,530 people with a combined annual payroll of $49,541,000.

142

Businesses

1,530

Employees

$49.5M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 27 19.0%
Construction 19 13.4%
Other services (except public administration) 19 13.4%
Health care and social assistance 18 12.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 10 7.0%
Finance and insurance 9 6.3%
Accommodation and food services 9 6.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 6 4.2%
Transportation and warehousing 6 4.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 3.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 2.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 29138 vs 29166 →

ZIP 29138 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 29138 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 29138 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 29138 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
29166 Ward, SC 904 10.5 mi
29037 Chappells, SC 824 11.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Saluda County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 29138 in?
ZIP code 29138 (Saluda) is located in Saluda County, South Carolina. Saluda County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/saluda-sc.
What is the population of ZIP code 29138?
ZIP code 29138 in Saluda, SC has a population of 10,883 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 29138?
The median household income in ZIP 29138 is $44,579, which is 42% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 29138?
The median home value in ZIP 29138 is $136,100, which is 51% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29138?
The largest racial group in ZIP 29138 is White at 48.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 24.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29138?
ZIP code 29138 has 142 business establishments employing approximately 1,530 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29138?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 29138 are: Retail trade (27), Construction (19), Other services (except public administration) (19). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 29138?
In ZIP code 29138, 52.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 29138?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 29138 is 26.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 29138?
In ZIP code 29138, approximately 71.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29138?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 29138 is 23.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Saluda, SC

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.