ZIP Code 29409

In ZIP code 29409, part of Charleston, the county-level property tax rate of 0.39% looks gentle on paper. Yet per-capita income here is just $7,702, so even a home assessed at $150,000 would carry roughly $585 in annual property taxes — nearly 8% of what an average resident earns in a year. Add a combined sales tax of 9.00% on everyday purchases, and the squeeze tightens further. The rate itself isn't the obstacle; the gap between local earnings and any meaningful home price is what shapes housing affordability in this ZIP.