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Demographic Transition in Zip Code 29915: From White Majority to Increasing Diversity
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
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Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
The zip code 29915, corresponding to Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, has been classified as a "Low Diversity" community with a White Majority as of 2022. The area has a population of 464 residents and a median income of $136,606, which is above the national average. This community has experienced significant demographic changes over the past decade, indicating a transition towards increased diversity.
From 2013 to 2017, Daufuskie Island maintained an extremely low diversity status, with the White population comprising 98-100% of residents. Beginning in 2018, the community started showing signs of diversification, with the introduction of Hispanic residents (1-2%) and an increase in residents identifying as two or more races (4-7%).
A more significant shift occurred between 2020 and 2022, transforming the area from "Low Diversity" to "Moderate Diversity". The White population decreased from 94% in 2019 to 64% in 2022. The Hispanic population increased from 2% in 2019 to 31% in 2022. The Black population emerged, reaching 3% by 2022. This rapid change over a few years classifies Daufuskie Island as a "Transitional Community".
The demographic shifts correlate with changes in median income and population. The median income rose from $103,906 in 2013 to a peak of $145,499 in 2017, coinciding with the period of lowest diversity. As diversity increased, there was a slight decline in median income, stabilizing around $136,000-$138,000 from 2020 to 2022. The population fluctuated over the decade, peaking at 528 in 2014 and reaching a low of 334 in 2017. As diversity increased from 2018 onwards, the population began to grow again, reaching 464 by 2022.
The rapid increase in Hispanic population from 2% to 31% in three years is noteworthy and may reflect broader trends of Hispanic population growth in the Southeast United States. The speed and magnitude of this change in a small community are unusual and may warrant further investigation into local economic or policy factors that could have driven this shift.
The consistent high median income, even as diversity increased, suggests that Daufuskie Island remains an affluent area. This contrasts with some national trends where increasing diversity in traditionally homogeneous communities sometimes correlates with more significant economic changes.
Daufuskie Island presents a case of a rapidly transitioning community, moving from extremely low diversity to moderate diversity in a short period while maintaining high income levels. This transition offers an opportunity for studying the dynamics of demographic change in small, affluent communities.
