Gaffney, SC · standard

ZIP Code 29340

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

Reviewed by PlainZIP Editorial Team, ZIP Code Data Editors · June 13, 2026

20,763
49/sq mi: $44,123
Median income: $108,800
Median home value: 11.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

8th pct
household income, US ZIPs: 12th pct
home value, US ZIPs: 49
people per sq mi: 76%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29340 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 29340 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 422.0 square miles in Gaffney, Cherokee County, South Carolina. The area is home to 20,763 residents, producing a population density of 49 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 29340 against South Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 29340 sits at $44,123 (31% below the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $25,113. The poverty rate stands at 24.1% and the unemployment rate at 4.1%. On housing, the median home value is $108,800 (52% below the state average) with median rent at $798 per month, and 75.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 29340 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 11.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.4, and the average commute is 26 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 2 additional ZIPs sharing Cherokee County, so you can benchmark 29340 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 29340

Other services (except public administration)

56
Retail trade

51
Health care and social assistance

34
Construction

20
Accommodation and food services

20

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, 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 29340, Gaffney, SC · 2023 Accessed 2026-06-13 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

20,763

Population

422.0

Area (sq mi)

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 29340?

41.4

Median Age

48.7%

Male

51.3%

Female

2.9%

Foreign-Born

White 71.3%

African American 21.6%

Asian 0.6%

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%

Two or More Ethnicities 4.1%

Hispanic or Latino 3.1%

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?

$44,123

Median Household Income

-31% vs state

$25,113

Per Capita Income

24.1%

Poverty Rate

4.1%

Unemployment Rate

26.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 29340 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$44,123 8th percentile higher than 8% of 30,318 US ZIPs

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 54.3%

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.2%

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

What does housing look like?

9,576

Total Housing Units

8,131

Occupied Units

1,445

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.8%

Renter 24.2%

$108,800

Median Home Value

-52% vs state

$798

Median Rent

1978

Median Year Built

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

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+4.8%

YoY Change (2024)

236

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+136%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 29340 have increased 4.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +136% cumulative appreciation.

Year	Annual Change	HPI Index
2020	+5.2%	154
2021	+10.2%	170
2022	+26.9%	215
2023	+4.8%	226
2024	+4.8%	236

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 273 business establishments in ZIP 29340, employing approximately 4,256 people with a combined annual payroll of $166,763,000.

273

Businesses

4,256

Employees

$166.8M

Annual Payroll

Industry Sectors

Industry	Establishments	% of Total
Other services (except public administration)	56	20.5%
Retail trade	51	18.7%
Health care and social assistance	34	12.4%
Construction	20	7.3%
Accommodation and food services	20	7.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services	17	6.2%
Finance and insurance	16	5.9%
Manufacturing	13	4.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	10	3.7%
Wholesale trade	7	2.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing	7	2.6%
Transportation and warehousing	5	1.8%
Information	4	1.5%
Educational services	4	1.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	4	1.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	3	1.1%

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 29340 vs 29372 →

29340

20,763
29341

19,330
29702

10,059
29372

4,507

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 29340 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

29341

$58,029
29702

$49,705
29372

$46,739
29340

$44,123

What this shows By household income, ZIP 29340 ranks #4 of 4 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

ZIP Code	City	Population	Distance
29372	Pacolet, SC	4,507	8.4 mi
29702	Blacksburg, SC	10,059	11.2 mi
29341	Gaffney, SC	19,330	11.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cherokee County

Cherokee County Gaffney, SC South Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 29340 in? ▼

ZIP code 29340 (Gaffney) is located in Cherokee County, South Carolina. Cherokee County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cherokee-sc.

What is the population of ZIP code 29340? ▼

ZIP code 29340 in Gaffney, SC has a population of 20,763 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in ZIP 29340? ▼

The median household income in ZIP 29340 is $44,123, which is 42% below the national average of $76,288.

What is the average home value in ZIP 29340? ▼

The median home value in ZIP 29340 is $108,800, which is 61% below the national average of $278,155.

What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29340? ▼

The largest racial group in ZIP 29340 is White at 71.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.1% of the population.

How many businesses are in ZIP code 29340? ▼

ZIP code 29340 has 273 business establishments employing approximately 4,256 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.

What are the main industries in ZIP code 29340? ▼

The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 29340 are: Other services (except public administration) (56), Retail trade (51), Health care and social assistance (34). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.

How have home values changed in ZIP code 29340? ▼

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 29340 increased by 4.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 136%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

What is the education level in ZIP code 29340? ▼

In ZIP code 29340, 54.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.2% 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 29340? ▼

The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 29340 is 26.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.

What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 29340? ▼

In ZIP code 29340, approximately 75.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29340? ▼

The poverty rate in ZIP code 29340 is 24.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.