PlainZIP

Baltimore, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21209

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

26,465
1,443/sq mi
$91,437
Median income
$440,800
Median home value
60.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Baltimore pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

Top 26%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 17%
home value, US ZIPs
1,443
people per sq mi
58%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21209 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21209 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland, with 26,465 residents across 18.3 square miles, a density of 1,443 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21209 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $91,437 (20% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $53,449. 6.7% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.7%. Housing costs here run $440,800 for a typical home value (1% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,655 a month; 57.5% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 60.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.6, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Baltimore County, so you can benchmark 21209 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 21209

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Baltimore, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21209.

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 21209, 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

26,465

Population

18.3

Area (sq mi)

1,443

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 21209?

35.6

Median Age

48.2%

Male

51.8%

Female

14.1%

Foreign-Born

White 68.6%
African American 20.7%
Asian 4.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.2%

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?

$91,437

Median Household Income

-20% vs state

$53,449

Per Capita Income

6.7%

Poverty Rate

5.7%

Unemployment Rate

24.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21209 ranks nationally

Baltimore, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$91,437 Top 26% higher than 74% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 73.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 60.7%

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

What does housing look like?

12,071

Total Housing Units

11,621

Occupied Units

450

Vacant Units

2.58

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 57.5%
Renter 42.5%

$440,800

Median Home Value

-1% vs state

$1,655

Median Rent

1974

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

+7.3%

YoY Change (2024)

284

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+184%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21209 have increased 7.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +184% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.4% 209
2021 +6.3% 222
2022 +16.3% 258
2023 +2.6% 265
2024 +7.3% 284

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 777 business establishments in ZIP 21209, employing approximately 9,386 people with a combined annual payroll of $645,837,000.

777

Businesses

9,386

Employees

$645.8M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 153 19.7%
Health care and social assistance 144 18.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 74 9.5%
Retail trade 67 8.6%
Other services (except public administration) 63 8.1%
Finance and insurance 61 7.8%
Accommodation and food services 47 6.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 42 5.4%
Construction 35 4.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 22 2.8%
Educational services 19 2.5%
Wholesale trade 18 2.3%
Manufacturing 10 1.3%
Transportation and warehousing 7 0.9%
Information 7 0.9%
Management of companies and enterprises 5 0.6%

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 21209 vs 21215 →

ZIP 21209 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 21209 ranks #6 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 21209 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 21209 ranks #5 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
21215 Baltimore, MD 60,161 2.1 mi
21210 Baltimore, MD 14,292 2.2 mi
21212 Baltimore, MD 32,322 2.9 mi
21216 Baltimore, MD 32,071 4.3 mi
21204 Towson, MD 20,253 2.8 mi
21208 Pikesville, MD 33,917 3.0 mi
21211 Baltimore, MD 17,351 3.4 mi
21153 Stevenson, MD 323 3.4 mi
21252 Towson, MD 2,872 3.6 mi
21239 Baltimore, MD 28,793 4.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Baltimore County

21234 standard
Parkville, MD
Pop: 69,752
21222 standard
Dundalk, MD
Pop: 55,786
21117 standard
Owings Mills, MD
Pop: 53,778
21207 standard
Gwynn Oak, MD
Pop: 48,133
21228 standard
Catonsville, MD
Pop: 47,577
21221 standard
Essex, MD
Pop: 42,154

Related Areas

Baltimore County Baltimore, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21209 in? ▼
ZIP code 21209 (Baltimore) is located in Baltimore County, Maryland. Baltimore County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/baltimore-md-24005.
What is the population of ZIP code 21209? ▼
ZIP code 21209 in Baltimore, MD has a population of 26,465 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21209? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21209 is $91,437, which is 20% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21209? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21209 is $440,800, which is 58% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21209? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21209 is White at 68.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21209? ▼
ZIP code 21209 has 777 business establishments employing approximately 9,386 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21209? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21209 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (153), Health care and social assistance (144), Real estate and rental and leasing (74). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21209? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21209 increased by 7.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 184%. 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 21209? ▼
In ZIP code 21209, 73.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 60.7% 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 21209? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21209 is 24.0 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 21209? ▼
In ZIP code 21209, approximately 57.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21209? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21209 is 6.7% 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.