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 Low-density area
- $86,979
- Median income Above-median income area
- $642,400
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 53.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 29438 (Edisto Island, SC) rose +21.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 250.5 in 2023 to 303.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 29438 covers 194.2 square miles in Edisto Island, Charleston County, South Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,408 residents on file, a density of 12 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 29438 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $86,979 (36% above the average South Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $70,959. The poverty rate is 6.9%, with unemployment at 6.9%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $642,400 (184% above the average South Carolina ZIP), while 88.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $888.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 53.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 62.4, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Charleston County, so 29438 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 29438
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Edisto Island, SC
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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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 ZIP avg
$70,959
Per Capita Income
6.9%
Poverty Rate
6.9%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 29438 ranks among South Carolina ZIPs
Edisto Island, SC household income vs. every South Carolina ZIP code
Median household income among 384 reporting South Carolina ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$86,979 Top 12% higher than 88% of 384 South Carolina ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more South Carolina 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
3,573housing units
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 ZIP avg
$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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 29438, both outside SC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (2,408 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Charleston County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 29438 in?
ZIP code 29438 (Edisto Island) 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 29438?
ZIP code 29438 in Edisto Island, SC has a population of 2,408 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 29438?
The median household income in ZIP 29438 is $86,979, which is 14% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 29438?
The median home value in ZIP 29438 is $642,400, which is 131% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29438?
The largest racial group in ZIP 29438 is White at 80.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29438?
ZIP code 29438 has 98 business establishments employing approximately 676 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29438?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 29438 are: Retail trade (16), Real estate and rental and leasing (16), Accommodation and food services (15). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 29438?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 29438 increased by 21.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 203%. 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 29438?
In ZIP code 29438, 69.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 53.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 29438?
In ZIP code 29438, approximately 88.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29438?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 29438 is 6.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 29438's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 29438 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Edisto Island, SC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.