PlainZIP

Charleston, SC · standard

ZIP Code 29403

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

20,818
1,504/sq mi
$66,944
Median income
$674,000
Median home value
60.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Charleston pairs a below-median household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.

42th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 7%
home value, US ZIPs
1,504
people per sq mi
33%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29403 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 29403 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina, with 20,818 residents across 13.8 square miles, a density of 1,504 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 29403 reports a modest median household income of $66,944 (5% above the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $49,758. 25.8% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.9%. On housing, the median home value is $674,000 (198% above the state average) with median rent at $1,798 per month, and 32.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 60.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30, and the average commute is 17 minutes. To put 29403 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Charleston County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 29403

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Charleston, SC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29403.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 29403, Charleston, SC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

20,818

Population

13.8

Area (sq mi)

1,504

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 29403?

30.0

Median Age

44.1%

Male

55.9%

Female

4.0%

Foreign-Born

White 62.9%
African American 30.4%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.7%
Hispanic or Latino 4.1%

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?

$66,944

Median Household Income

+5% vs state

$49,758

Per Capita Income

25.8%

Poverty Rate

4.9%

Unemployment Rate

17.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 29403 ranks nationally

Charleston, SC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$66,944 42nd percentile higher than 42% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 74.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 60.9%

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

What does housing look like?

13,460

Total Housing Units

10,862

Occupied Units

2,598

Vacant Units

2.02

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 32.9%
Renter 67.1%

$674,000

Median Home Value

+198% vs state

$1,798

Median Rent

1964

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

+7.3%

YoY Change (2024)

505

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+405%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 29403 have increased 7.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +405% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.4% 315
2021 +8.2% 341
2022 +18.9% 406
2023 +16.1% 471
2024 +7.3% 505

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 1,020 business establishments in ZIP 29403, employing approximately 13,595 people with a combined annual payroll of $846,213,000.

1,020

Businesses

13,595

Employees

$846.2M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 191 18.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 184 18.0%
Retail trade 108 10.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 105 10.3%
Other services (except public administration) 92 9.0%
Health care and social assistance 71 7.0%
Construction 52 5.1%
Finance and insurance 45 4.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 36 3.5%
Information 28 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 27 2.6%
Wholesale trade 24 2.4%
Educational services 19 1.9%
Manufacturing 17 1.7%
Transportation and warehousing 16 1.6%
Management of companies and enterprises 5 0.5%

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 29403 vs 29409 →

ZIP 29403 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 29403 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 29403 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 29403 ranks #8 of 9 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
29409 Charleston, SC 2,100 1.1 mi
29424 Charleston, SC 389 1.5 mi
29401 Charleston, SC 10,895 1.9 mi
29407 Charleston, SC 34,827 3.2 mi
29405 North Charleston, SC 26,328 4.1 mi
29412 Charleston, SC 35,850 6.6 mi
29464 Mount Pleasant, SC 43,649 5.2 mi
29482 Sullivans Island, SC 1,791 6.8 mi
29439 Folly Beach, SC 2,399 9.6 mi
29492 Charleston, SC 10,262 8.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Charleston County

29464 standard
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pop: 43,649
29412 standard
Charleston, SC
Pop: 35,850
29407 standard
Charleston, SC
Pop: 34,827
29414 standard
Charleston, SC
Pop: 31,883
29406 standard
Charleston, SC
Pop: 29,314
29466 standard
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pop: 28,725

Related Areas

Charleston County Charleston, SC South Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 29403 in? ▼
ZIP code 29403 (Charleston) is located in Charleston County, South Carolina. Charleston County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/charleston-sc.
What is the population of ZIP code 29403? ▼
ZIP code 29403 in Charleston, SC has a population of 20,818 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 29403? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 29403 is $66,944, which is 12% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 29403? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 29403 is $674,000, which is 142% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29403? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 29403 is White at 62.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29403? ▼
ZIP code 29403 has 1,020 business establishments employing approximately 13,595 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29403? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 29403 are: Accommodation and food services (191), Professional, scientific, and technical services (184), Retail trade (108). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 29403? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 29403 increased by 7.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 405%. 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 29403? ▼
In ZIP code 29403, 74.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 60.9% 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 29403? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 29403 is 17.3 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 29403? ▼
In ZIP code 29403, approximately 32.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 67.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29403? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 29403 is 25.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.