Edisto Island, SC · standard
ZIP Code 29438
Charleston County, South Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,408
- 12/sq mi
- $86,979
- Median income
- $642,400
- Median home value
- 53.1%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Edisto Island pairs an above-median household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 30%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 8%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 12
- people per sq mi
- 88%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29438 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 29438 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 194.2 square miles in Edisto Island, Charleston County, South Carolina. The area is home to 2,408 residents, producing a population density of 12 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 29438 against South Carolina and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 29438 sits at $86,979 (36% above the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $70,959. The poverty rate stands at 6.9% and the unemployment rate at 6.9%. On housing, the median home value is $642,400 (184% above the state average) with median rent at $888 per month, and 88.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 29438 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 53.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 62.4, and the average commute is —. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Charleston County, so you can benchmark 29438 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 29438
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29438.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
16 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
16 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
15 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
12 establishments
- Construction
Construction
9 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, 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 29438, Edisto Island, 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
2,408
Population
194.2
Area (sq mi)
12
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 29438?
62.4
Median Age
48.4%
Male
51.6%
Female
2.5%
Foreign-Born
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?
$86,979
Median Household Income
+36% vs state
$70,959
Per Capita Income
6.9%
Poverty Rate
6.9%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 29438 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$86,979 Top 30% higher than 70% 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
3,573
Total Housing Units
1,501
Occupied Units
2,072
Vacant Units
1.88
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$642,400
Median Home Value
+184% vs state
$888
Median Rent
1991
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
+21.1%
YoY Change (2024)
303
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+203%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 29438 have increased 21.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +203% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.7% | 142 |
| 2021 | +15.9% | 164 |
| 2022 | +19.0% | 196 |
| 2023 | +28.1% | 251 |
| 2024 | +21.1% | 303 |
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 98 business establishments in ZIP 29438, employing approximately 676 people with a combined annual payroll of $27,721,000.
98
Businesses
676
Employees
$27.7M
Annual Payroll
10
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 16 | 16.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 16 | 16.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 15 | 15.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 12 | 12.2% |
| Construction | 9 | 9.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 6 | 6.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 6.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 5.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 5.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 3.1% |
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 29438 vs 29449 →
ZIP 29438 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 29449
Hollywood (29449)
7,749 residents
- 29487 2,725
Wadmalaw Island (29487)
2,725 residents
- 29438 2,408
Edisto Island (29438)
2,408 residents
- 29452 394
Jacksonboro (29452)
394 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 29438 ranks #3 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 29438 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 29452
Jacksonboro (29452)
$113,164 median income
- 29487
Wadmalaw Island (29487)
$105,592 median income
- 29438
Edisto Island (29438)
$86,979 median income
- 29449
Hollywood (29449)
$56,929 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 29438 ranks #3 of 4 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Charleston County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 29438 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 29438? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 29438? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 29438? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29438? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29438? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29438? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 29438? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 29438? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 29438? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29438? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Edisto Island, SC
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.