PlainZIP

Middle River, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21220

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

39,199
702/sq mi
$81,817
Median income
$300,100
Median home value
30.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Middle River pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 36%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 33%
home value, US ZIPs
702
people per sq mi
69%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21220 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21220 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Middle River, Baltimore County, Maryland, with 39,199 residents across 55.8 square miles, a density of 702 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21220 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $81,817 (28% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $41,843. The poverty rate stands at 13.6% and the unemployment rate at 4.2%. Median home value sits at $300,100 (33% below the state average), median rent at $1,673 a month, and owner-occupancy at 68.8%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 30.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.7, and the average commute is 30 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Baltimore County, so you can benchmark 21220 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 21220

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Middle River, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21220.

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 21220, Middle River, 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

39,199

Population

55.8

Area (sq mi)

702

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 21220?

37.7

Median Age

47.3%

Male

52.7%

Female

12.8%

Foreign-Born

White 52.6%
African American 30.8%
Asian 6.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%

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?

$81,817

Median Household Income

-28% vs state

$41,843

Per Capita Income

13.6%

Poverty Rate

4.2%

Unemployment Rate

30.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21220 ranks nationally

Middle River, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$81,817 Top 36% higher than 64% 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 62.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 30.0%

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

What does housing look like?

17,918

Total Housing Units

16,544

Occupied Units

1,374

Vacant Units

2.58

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 68.8%
Renter 31.2%

$300,100

Median Home Value

-33% vs state

$1,673

Median Rent

1982

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

+1.0%

YoY Change (2024)

252

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+152%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21220 have increased 1.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +152% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.8% 187
2021 +10.1% 205
2022 +9.1% 224
2023 +11.3% 249
2024 +1.0% 252

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 697 business establishments in ZIP 21220, employing approximately 12,583 people with a combined annual payroll of $797,515,000.

697

Businesses

12,583

Employees

$797.5M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 135 19.4%
Retail trade 87 12.5%
Other services (except public administration) 73 10.5%
Accommodation and food services 66 9.5%
Health care and social assistance 57 8.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 53 7.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 49 7.0%
Transportation and warehousing 47 6.7%
Manufacturing 30 4.3%
Wholesale trade 29 4.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 26 3.7%
Finance and insurance 15 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 12 1.7%
Management of companies and enterprises 6 0.9%
Educational services 5 0.7%
Utilities 3 0.4%
Information 3 0.4%

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 21220 vs 21162 →

ZIP 21220 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 21220 ranks #3 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 21220 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 21220 ranks #8 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
21162 White Marsh, MD 3,655 3.1 mi
21221 Essex, MD 42,154 4.2 mi
21156 Upper Falls, MD 358 6.4 mi
21237 Rosedale, MD 30,059 5.2 mi
21128 Perry Hall, MD 12,802 5.0 mi
21087 Kingsville, MD 5,451 7.2 mi
21236 Nottingham, MD 38,474 5.6 mi
21206 Baltimore, MD 50,846 7.4 mi
21085 Joppa, MD 16,171 7.5 mi
21010 Gunpowder, MD 104 6.5 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 Middle River, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21220 in? ▼
ZIP code 21220 (Middle River) 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 21220? ▼
ZIP code 21220 in Middle River, MD has a population of 39,199 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21220? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21220 is $81,817, which is 7% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21220? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21220 is $300,100, which is 8% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21220? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21220 is White at 52.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21220? ▼
ZIP code 21220 has 697 business establishments employing approximately 12,583 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21220? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21220 are: Construction (135), Retail trade (87), Other services (except public administration) (73). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21220? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21220 increased by 1.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 152%. 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 21220? ▼
In ZIP code 21220, 62.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 30.0% 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 21220? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21220 is 30.0 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 21220? ▼
In ZIP code 21220, approximately 68.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21220? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21220 is 13.6% 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.