Walterboro, SC · standard

ZIP Code 29488

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

22,220
37/sq mi
$49,876
Median income
$167,300
Median home value
17.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Walterboro pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

14th pct
household income, US ZIPs
33th pct
home value, US ZIPs
37
people per sq mi
67%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29488 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 29488 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 595.7 square miles in Walterboro, Colleton County, South Carolina. The area is home to 22,220 residents, producing a population density of 37 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 29488 against South Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 29488 sits at $49,876 (22% below the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $27,122. The poverty rate stands at 23.5% and the unemployment rate at 13.2%. On housing, the median home value is $167,300 (26% below the state average) with median rent at $950 per month, and 66.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 29488 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 17.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.8, and the average commute is 31 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Colleton County, so you can benchmark 29488 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 29488

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29488.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 29488, Walterboro, 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

22,220

Population

595.7

Area (sq mi)

37

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 29488?

38.8

Median Age

45.8%

Male

54.2%

Female

3.0%

Foreign-Born

White 53.9%
African American 39.0%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.9%
Hispanic or Latino 4.3%

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?

$49,876

Median Household Income

-22% vs state

$27,122

Per Capita Income

23.5%

Poverty Rate

13.2%

Unemployment Rate

31.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 29488 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$49,876 14th percentile higher than 14% 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 56.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.8%

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

What does housing look like?

9,971

Total Housing Units

9,136

Occupied Units

835

Vacant Units

2.41

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.5%
Renter 33.5%

$167,300

Median Home Value

-26% vs state

$950

Median Rent

1985

Median Year Built

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

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

+6.0%

YoY Change (2024)

269

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+169%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 29488 have increased 6.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +169% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.4% 173
2021 +12.9% 195
2022 +19.1% 233
2023 +9.2% 254
2024 +6.0% 269

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 598 business establishments in ZIP 29488, employing approximately 5,981 people with a combined annual payroll of $286,060,000.

598

Businesses

5,981

Employees

$286.1M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 117 19.6%
Health care and social assistance 74 12.4%
Accommodation and food services 67 11.2%
Construction 55 9.2%
Other services (except public administration) 50 8.4%
Finance and insurance 44 7.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 44 7.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 25 4.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 22 3.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 22 3.7%
Wholesale trade 21 3.5%
Manufacturing 18 3.0%
Transportation and warehousing 15 2.5%
Information 11 1.8%
Utilities 4 0.7%
Educational services 4 0.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 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 29488 vs 29475 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
29475 Ruffin, SC 2,874 9.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Colleton County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 29488 in?
ZIP code 29488 (Walterboro) 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 29488?
ZIP code 29488 in Walterboro, SC has a population of 22,220 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 29488?
The median household income in ZIP 29488 is $49,876, which is 35% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 29488?
The median home value in ZIP 29488 is $167,300, which is 40% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29488?
The largest racial group in ZIP 29488 is White at 53.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29488?
ZIP code 29488 has 598 business establishments employing approximately 5,981 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29488?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 29488 are: Retail trade (117), Health care and social assistance (74), Accommodation and food services (67). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 29488?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 29488 increased by 6.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 169%. 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 29488?
In ZIP code 29488, 56.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.8% 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 29488?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 29488 is 31.3 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 29488?
In ZIP code 29488, approximately 66.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29488?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 29488 is 23.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

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Official Data Resources for Walterboro, SC

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