PlainZIP

Baltimore, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21206

Baltimore County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

50,846
2,738/sq mi
$64,531
Median income
$216,100
Median home value
27.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Baltimore pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a suburban-density, mixed-tenure and unusually populous area.

38th pct
household income, US ZIPs
48th pct
home value, US ZIPs
2,738
people per sq mi
53%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21206 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21206 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland, with 50,846 residents across 18.6 square miles, a density of 2,738 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21206 reports a modest median household income of $64,531 (43% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $34,740. Local economic indicators show a 15.7% poverty rate alongside 4.7% unemployment. Housing costs here run $216,100 for a typical home value (52% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,247 a month; 53.2% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 27.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.7, and the average commute is 31 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 21206, plus 6 more within Baltimore County, give a clearer read than the national average 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 21206

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Baltimore, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21206.

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 21206, Baltimore, MD · 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

50,846

Population

18.6

Area (sq mi)

2,738

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 21206?

36.7

Median Age

43.6%

Male

56.4%

Female

6.5%

Foreign-Born

White 19.4%
African American 74.0%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.8%

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?

$64,531

Median Household Income

-43% vs state

$34,740

Per Capita Income

15.7%

Poverty Rate

4.7%

Unemployment Rate

30.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21206 ranks nationally

Baltimore, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$64,531 38th percentile higher than 38% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 62.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 27.5%

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

What does housing look like?

22,067

Total Housing Units

20,480

Occupied Units

1,587

Vacant Units

2.36

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 53.2%
Renter 46.8%

$216,100

Median Home Value

-52% vs state

$1,247

Median Rent

1956

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

+5.8%

YoY Change (2024)

273

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+173%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21206 have increased 5.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +173% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.7% 198
2021 +11.0% 220
2022 +12.6% 248
2023 +3.9% 258
2024 +5.8% 273

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 453 business establishments in ZIP 21206, employing approximately 3,412 people with a combined annual payroll of $131,627,000.

453

Businesses

3,412

Employees

$131.6M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 86 19.0%
Retail trade 79 17.4%
Other services (except public administration) 58 12.8%
Construction 48 10.6%
Accommodation and food services 44 9.7%
Transportation and warehousing 26 5.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 24 5.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 23 5.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 15 3.3%
Wholesale trade 10 2.2%
Finance and insurance 10 2.2%
Educational services 10 2.2%
Manufacturing 7 1.6%
Information 7 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 1.3%

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 21206 vs 21214 →

ZIP 21206 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 21206 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 21206 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 21206 ranks #6 of 9 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
21214 Baltimore, MD 20,564 1.7 mi
21237 Rosedale, MD 30,059 2.2 mi
21251 Baltimore, MD 934 2.4 mi
21234 Parkville, MD 69,752 3.7 mi
21224 Baltimore, MD 49,134 4.0 mi
21213 Baltimore, MD 32,733 2.7 mi
21205 Baltimore, MD 16,146 3.0 mi
21218 Baltimore, MD 49,796 3.6 mi
21239 Baltimore, MD 28,793 3.3 mi
21236 Nottingham, MD 38,474 4.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Baltimore County

21215 standard
Baltimore, MD
Pop: 60,161
21218 standard
Baltimore, MD
Pop: 49,796
21224 standard
Baltimore, MD
Pop: 49,134
21229 standard
Baltimore, MD
Pop: 45,213
21217 standard
Baltimore, MD
Pop: 37,111
21230 standard
Baltimore, MD
Pop: 33,568

Related Areas

Baltimore County Baltimore, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21206 in? ▼
ZIP code 21206 (Baltimore) is located in Baltimore County, Maryland. Baltimore County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/baltimore-md-24510.
What is the population of ZIP code 21206? ▼
ZIP code 21206 in Baltimore, MD has a population of 50,846 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21206? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21206 is $64,531, which is 15% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21206? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21206 is $216,100, which is 22% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21206? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21206 is African American at 74.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21206? ▼
ZIP code 21206 has 453 business establishments employing approximately 3,412 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21206? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21206 are: Health care and social assistance (86), Retail trade (79), Other services (except public administration) (58). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21206? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21206 increased by 5.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 173%. 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 21206? ▼
In ZIP code 21206, 62.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.5% 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 21206? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21206 is 30.8 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 21206? ▼
In ZIP code 21206, approximately 53.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 46.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21206? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21206 is 15.7% 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.