Darlington, SC · standard
ZIP Code 29540
Darlington County, South Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 5,599
- 20/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $53,155
- Median income Below-median income area
- $95,300
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 10.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Darlington pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 18th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 8th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 20
- people per sq mi
- 83%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 29540 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 29540 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Darlington, Darlington County, South Carolina, home to 5,599 residents across 285.7 square miles, a density of 20 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 29540 reports a modest median household income of $53,155 (17% below the average South Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $29,886. The poverty rate is 24.5%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $95,300 (58% below the average South Carolina ZIP), and median rent is $883; owner occupancy is 83.0%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.9, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 more in Darlington County, so 29540 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 29540
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Darlington, SC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 29540.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
18 establishments
- Wholesale trade 7
Wholesale trade
7 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 7
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
7 establishments
- Construction 6
Construction
6 establishments
- Manufacturing 6
Manufacturing
6 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 29540, Darlington, 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
5,599
Population
285.7
Area (sq mi)
20
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 29540?
41.9
Median Age
52.1%
Male
47.9%
Female
0.5%
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?
$53,155
Median Household Income
-17% vs state ZIP avg
$29,886
Per Capita Income
24.5%
Poverty Rate
6.2%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 29540 ranks among South Carolina ZIPs
Darlington, 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)
$53,155 35th percentile higher than 35% 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
2,137housing units
2,137
Total Housing Units
1,719
Occupied Units
418
Vacant Units
2.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$95,300
Median Home Value
-58% vs state ZIP avg
$883
Median Rent
1987
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 60 business establishments in ZIP 29540, employing approximately 1,234 people with a combined annual payroll of $116,308,000.
60
Businesses
1,234
Employees
$116.3M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 18 | 30.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 7 | 11.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 7 | 11.7% |
| Construction | 6 | 10.0% |
| Manufacturing | 6 | 10.0% |
| Retail trade | 4 | 6.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 6.7% |
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 29540 vs 29593 →
ZIP 29540 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 29532
Darlington (29532)
20,871 residents
- 29540 5,599
Darlington (29540)
5,599 residents
- 29593 1,954
Society Hill (29593)
1,954 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 29540 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 29540 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 29540
Darlington (29540)
$53,155 median income
- 29532
Darlington (29532)
$44,482 median income
- 29593
Society Hill (29593)
$40,568 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 29540 ranks the highest of 3 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 29540, 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 (5,599 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Darlington County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 29540 in?
ZIP code 29540 (Darlington) is located in Darlington County, South Carolina. Darlington County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/darlington-sc.
What is the population of ZIP code 29540?
ZIP code 29540 in Darlington, SC has a population of 5,599 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 29540?
The median household income in ZIP 29540 is $53,155, which is 30% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 29540?
The median home value in ZIP 29540 is $95,300, which is 66% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 29540?
The largest racial group in ZIP 29540 is White at 62.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 29540?
ZIP code 29540 has 60 business establishments employing approximately 1,234 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 29540?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 29540 are: Other services (except public administration) (18), Wholesale trade (7), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (7). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 29540?
In ZIP code 29540, 47.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.1% 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 29540?
In ZIP code 29540, approximately 83.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 29540?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 29540 is 24.5% 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 29540's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 29540 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Darlington, 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.