PlainZIP

Smoaks, SC · standard

ZIP Code 29481

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

1,841
8/sq mi
$46,719
Median income
$88,900
Median home value
11.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

11th pct
household income, US ZIPs
6th pct
home value, US ZIPs
8
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29481 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 29481 covers 230.1 square miles in Smoaks, Colleton County, South Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,841 residents on file, a density of 8 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 29481 reports a modest median household income of $46,719 (27% below the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $25,703. Local economic indicators show a 22.7% poverty rate alongside 15.2% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $88,900 (61% below the state average); renters pay a median of $543 monthly, and 74.9% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.2, and the average commute is 44 minutes. Beyond these figures, 4 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Colleton County, letting you compare 29481 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 →

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 29481, Smoaks, 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

1,841

Population

230.1

Area (sq mi)

8

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 29481?

37.2

Median Age

58.0%

Male

42.0%

Female

2.1%

Foreign-Born

White 37.6%
African American 57.5%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 1.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.3%
Hispanic or Latino 0.2%

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?

$46,719

Median Household Income

-27% vs state

$25,703

Per Capita Income

22.7%

Poverty Rate

15.2%

Unemployment Rate

43.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 29481 ranks nationally

Smoaks, SC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$46,719 11th percentile higher than 11% 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 60.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.1%

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

What does housing look like?

863

Total Housing Units

706

Occupied Units

157

Vacant Units

2.49

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.9%
Renter 25.1%

$88,900

Median Home Value

-61% vs state

$543

Median Rent

1990

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 14 business establishments in ZIP 29481, employing approximately 89 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,139,000.

14

Businesses

89

Employees

$2.1M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 5 35.7%
Construction 3 21.4%

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 29481 vs 29493 →

ZIP 29481 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 29481 ranks #2 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 29481 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 29481 ranks #2 of 4 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
29493 Williams, SC 117 5.9 mi
29432 Branchville, SC 2,853 8.1 mi
29471 Reevesville, SC 1,537 9.2 mi
29082 Lodge, SC 572 9.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Colleton County

29488 standard
Walterboro, SC
Pop: 22,220
29435 standard
Cottageville, SC
Pop: 4,122
29475 standard
Ruffin, SC
Pop: 2,874
29474 standard
Round O, SC
Pop: 2,176
29446 standard
Green Pond, SC
Pop: 1,138
29929 standard
Islandton, SC
Pop: 1,135

Related Areas

Colleton County Smoaks, SC South Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 29481 in? ▼
ZIP code 29481 (Smoaks) is located in Colleton County, South Carolina. Colleton County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/colleton-sc.
What is the population of ZIP code 29481? ▼
ZIP code 29481 in Smoaks, SC has a population of 1,841 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 29481? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 29481 is $46,719, which is 39% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 29481? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 29481 is $88,900, which is 68% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29481? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 29481 is African American at 57.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29481? ▼
ZIP code 29481 has 14 business establishments employing approximately 89 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 29481? ▼
In ZIP code 29481, 60.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.1% 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 29481? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 29481 is 43.5 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 29481? ▼
In ZIP code 29481, approximately 74.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29481? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 29481 is 22.7% 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.