PlainZIP

Baltimore, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21217

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

37,111
6,189/sq mi
$38,409
Median income
$180,100
Median home value
23.4%
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, renter-heavy area.

5th pct
household income, US ZIPs
38th pct
home value, US ZIPs
6,189
people per sq mi
30%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21217 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21217 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland, with 37,111 residents across 6.0 square miles, a density of 6,189 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21217 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $38,409 (66% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $32,026. The poverty rate stands at 31.6% and the unemployment rate at 12.3%. The typical home here is valued at $180,100 (60% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,119 monthly, and 30.0% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.8, and the average commute is 33 minutes. To put 21217 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 21217

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Baltimore, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21217.

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 21217, 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

37,111

Population

6.0

Area (sq mi)

6,189

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 21217?

38.8

Median Age

49.6%

Male

50.4%

Female

4.4%

Foreign-Born

White 12.2%
African American 80.8%
Asian 2.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.8%
Hispanic or Latino 2.4%

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?

$38,409

Median Household Income

-66% vs state

$32,026

Per Capita Income

31.6%

Poverty Rate

12.3%

Unemployment Rate

32.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21217 ranks nationally

Baltimore, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$38,409 5th percentile higher than 5% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 56.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 23.4%

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

What does housing look like?

19,995

Total Housing Units

15,332

Occupied Units

4,663

Vacant Units

1.94

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 30.0%
Renter 70.0%

$180,100

Median Home Value

-60% vs state

$1,119

Median Rent

1938

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

-8.5%

YoY Change (2024)

295

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+195%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21217 have decreased 8.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +195% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.0% 245
2021 +9.5% 268
2022 +4.9% 282
2023 +14.7% 323
2024 -8.5% 295

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 333 business establishments in ZIP 21217, employing approximately 3,648 people with a combined annual payroll of $155,024,000.

333

Businesses

3,648

Employees

$155.0M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 73 21.9%
Other services (except public administration) 65 19.5%
Health care and social assistance 51 15.3%
Accommodation and food services 36 10.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 34 10.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 17 5.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 11 3.3%
Educational services 9 2.7%
Construction 8 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 2.1%
Finance and insurance 6 1.8%
Wholesale trade 5 1.5%
Transportation and warehousing 5 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 21217 vs 21211 →

ZIP 21217 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 21217 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 21217 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 21217 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
21211 Baltimore, MD 17,351 1.5 mi
21201 Baltimore, MD 16,972 1.3 mi
21216 Baltimore, MD 32,071 1.8 mi
21223 Baltimore, MD 26,366 1.8 mi
21202 Baltimore, MD 22,832 1.9 mi
21210 Baltimore, MD 14,292 3.5 mi
21218 Baltimore, MD 49,796 2.4 mi
21230 Baltimore, MD 33,568 3.0 mi
21231 Baltimore, MD 15,748 2.9 mi
21213 Baltimore, MD 32,733 3.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Baltimore County

21215 standard
Baltimore, MD
Pop: 60,161
21206 standard
Baltimore, MD
Pop: 50,846
21218 standard
Baltimore, MD
Pop: 49,796
21224 standard
Baltimore, MD
Pop: 49,134
21229 standard
Baltimore, MD
Pop: 45,213
21230 standard
Baltimore, MD
Pop: 33,568

Related Areas

Baltimore County Baltimore, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21217 in? ▼
ZIP code 21217 (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 21217? ▼
ZIP code 21217 in Baltimore, MD has a population of 37,111 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21217? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21217 is $38,409, which is 50% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21217? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21217 is $180,100, which is 35% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21217? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21217 is African American at 80.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21217? ▼
ZIP code 21217 has 333 business establishments employing approximately 3,648 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21217? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21217 are: Retail trade (73), Other services (except public administration) (65), Health care and social assistance (51). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21217? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21217 decreased by 8.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 195%. 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 21217? ▼
In ZIP code 21217, 56.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.4% 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 21217? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21217 is 32.6 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 21217? ▼
In ZIP code 21217, approximately 30.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 70.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21217? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21217 is 31.6% 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.