PlainZIP

Cheraw, SC · standard

ZIP Code 29520

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

14,617
42/sq mi
$42,308
Median income
$106,800
Median home value
16.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

7th pct
household income, US ZIPs
12th pct
home value, US ZIPs
42
people per sq mi
69%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29520 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 29520 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Cheraw, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, home to 14,617 residents across 347.2 square miles, a density of 42 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 29520 reports a modest median household income of $42,308 (34% below the South Carolina average), while per-capita income is $28,338. 24.5% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 8.6%. The typical home here is valued at $106,800 (53% below the state average); renters pay a median of $807 monthly, and 69.4% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.4, and the average commute is 20 minutes. Beyond these figures, 3 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Chesterfield County, letting you compare 29520 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 29520

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cheraw, SC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29520.

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 29520, Cheraw, 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

14,617

Population

347.2

Area (sq mi)

42

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 29520?

45.4

Median Age

47.6%

Male

52.4%

Female

2.9%

Foreign-Born

White 48.1%
African American 44.3%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.1%
Hispanic or Latino 2.4%

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?

$42,308

Median Household Income

-34% vs state

$28,338

Per Capita Income

24.5%

Poverty Rate

8.6%

Unemployment Rate

20.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 29520 ranks nationally

Cheraw, SC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$42,308 7th percentile higher than 7% 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 55.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.6%

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

What does housing look like?

6,720

Total Housing Units

5,526

Occupied Units

1,194

Vacant Units

2.32

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 69.4%
Renter 30.6%

$106,800

Median Home Value

-53% vs state

$807

Median Rent

1981

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

-2.4%

YoY Change (2024)

192

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+92%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 29520 have decreased 2.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +92% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +8.2% 146
2021 +3.9% 152
2022 +30.1% 197
2023 -0.2% 197
2024 -2.4% 192

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 296 business establishments in ZIP 29520, employing approximately 6,158 people with a combined annual payroll of $347,682,000.

296

Businesses

6,158

Employees

$347.7M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 57 19.3%
Health care and social assistance 40 13.5%
Other services (except public administration) 39 13.2%
Accommodation and food services 37 12.5%
Finance and insurance 25 8.4%
Manufacturing 21 7.1%
Construction 16 5.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14 4.7%
Transportation and warehousing 13 4.4%
Wholesale trade 12 4.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 7 2.4%
Information 6 2.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 2.0%

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 29520 vs 29596 →

ZIP 29520 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 29520 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 29520 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 29520 ranks #2 of 3 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
29596 Wallace, SC 2,424 6.7 mi
28102 Mc Farlan, NC 78 9.7 mi
29584 Patrick, SC 2,563 10.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Chesterfield County

29728 standard
Pageland, SC
Pop: 10,301
29709 standard
Chesterfield, SC
Pop: 6,498
29718 standard
Jefferson, SC
Pop: 3,856
29101 standard
Mc Bee, SC
Pop: 3,023
29584 standard
Patrick, SC
Pop: 2,563
29741 standard
Ruby, SC
Pop: 2,082

Related Areas

Chesterfield County Cheraw, SC South Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 29520 in? ▼
ZIP code 29520 (Cheraw) is located in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. Chesterfield County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/chesterfield-sc.
What is the population of ZIP code 29520? ▼
ZIP code 29520 in Cheraw, SC has a population of 14,617 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 29520? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 29520 is $42,308, which is 45% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 29520? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 29520 is $106,800, which is 62% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29520? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 29520 is White at 48.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29520? ▼
ZIP code 29520 has 296 business establishments employing approximately 6,158 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29520? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 29520 are: Retail trade (57), Health care and social assistance (40), Other services (except public administration) (39). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 29520? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 29520 decreased by 2.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 92%. 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 29520? ▼
In ZIP code 29520, 55.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.6% 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 29520? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 29520 is 20.2 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 29520? ▼
In ZIP code 29520, approximately 69.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29520? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 29520 is 24.5% 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.