Baltimore, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21216

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

32,071
3,714/sq mi
$42,031
Median income
$147,800
Median home value
17.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Baltimore pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a suburban-density, mixed-tenure area.

7th pct
household income, US ZIPs
25th pct
home value, US ZIPs
3,714
people per sq mi
50%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21216 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21216 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland, with 32,071 residents across 8.6 square miles, a density of 3,714 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21216 reports a modest median household income of $42,031 (63% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $25,472. 27.0% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 14.1%. Median home value sits at $147,800 (67% below the state average), median rent at $1,176 a month, and owner-occupancy at 50.2%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.7, and the average commute is 33 minutes. To put 21216 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Baltimore County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 21216

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Baltimore, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21216.

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 21216, 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

32,071

Population

8.6

Area (sq mi)

3,714

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 21216?

34.7

Median Age

42.5%

Male

57.5%

Female

3.0%

Foreign-Born

White 2.9%
African American 90.8%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.5%
Hispanic or Latino 4.8%

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?

$42,031

Median Household Income

-63% vs state

$25,472

Per Capita Income

27.0%

Poverty Rate

14.1%

Unemployment Rate

33.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21216 ranks nationally

Baltimore, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$42,031 7th percentile higher than 7% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 56.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.2%

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

What does housing look like?

15,580

Total Housing Units

12,307

Occupied Units

3,273

Vacant Units

2.34

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 50.2%
Renter 49.8%

$147,800

Median Home Value

-67% vs state

$1,176

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

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

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+17.4%

YoY Change (2024)

324

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+224%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21216 have increased 17.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +224% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.3% 204
2021 +9.2% 223
2022 +30.9% 292
2023 -5.4% 276
2024 +17.4% 324

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 202 business establishments in ZIP 21216, employing approximately 1,172 people with a combined annual payroll of $44,602,000.

202

Businesses

1,172

Employees

$44.6M

Annual Payroll

10

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 62 30.7%
Health care and social assistance 48 23.8%
Other services (except public administration) 24 11.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 15 7.4%
Accommodation and food services 14 6.9%
Construction 8 4.0%
Transportation and warehousing 8 4.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 3.0%
Wholesale trade 5 2.5%
Finance and insurance 3 1.5%

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 21216 vs 21217 →

ZIP 21216 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 21216 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 21216 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 21216 ranks #null 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
21217 Baltimore, MD 37,111 1.8 mi
21229 Baltimore, MD 45,213 2.1 mi
21223 Baltimore, MD 26,366 2.1 mi
21215 Baltimore, MD 60,161 2.5 mi
21211 Baltimore, MD 17,351 2.2 mi
21207 Gwynn Oak, MD 48,133 2.7 mi
21209 Baltimore, MD 26,465 4.3 mi
21201 Baltimore, MD 16,972 2.9 mi
21227 Halethorpe, MD 33,534 4.9 mi
21202 Baltimore, MD 22,832 3.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Baltimore County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21216 in?
ZIP code 21216 (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 21216?
ZIP code 21216 in Baltimore, MD has a population of 32,071 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21216?
The median household income in ZIP 21216 is $42,031, which is 45% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21216?
The median home value in ZIP 21216 is $147,800, which is 47% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21216?
The largest racial group in ZIP 21216 is African American at 90.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21216?
ZIP code 21216 has 202 business establishments employing approximately 1,172 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21216?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21216 are: Retail trade (62), Health care and social assistance (48), Other services (except public administration) (24). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21216?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21216 increased by 17.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 224%. 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 21216?
In ZIP code 21216, 56.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.2% 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 21216?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21216 is 33.2 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 21216?
In ZIP code 21216, approximately 50.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 49.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21216?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21216 is 27.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.