Cumberland, MD · standard
ZIP Code 21502
Allegany County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 44,400
- 191/sq mi High-density area
- $60,725
- Median income Below-median income area
- $153,700
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 19.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Cumberland pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 30th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 27th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 191
- people per sq mi
- 72%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21502 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 21502 (Cumberland, MD) rose +7.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 192.6 in 2023 to 207.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 21502 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland, with 44,400 residents across 232.1 square miles, a density of 191 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 21502 reports a modest median household income of $60,725 (47% below the average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $31,252. The poverty rate is 16.2%, with unemployment at 4.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $153,700 (66% below the average Maryland ZIP), and median rent is $773; owner occupancy is 72.0%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.8, and the average commute is 20 minutes. The page also surfaces 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Allegany County, so 21502 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 21502
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cumberland, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21502.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
208 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
181 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
137 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
100 establishments
- Finance and insurance 62
Finance and insurance
62 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 21502, Cumberland, 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
44,400
Population
232.1
Area (sq mi)
191
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 21502?
42.8
Median Age
55.5%
Male
44.5%
Female
2.2%
Foreign-Born
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?
$60,725
Median Household Income
-47% vs state ZIP avg
$31,252
Per Capita Income
16.2%
Poverty Rate
4.4%
Unemployment Rate
20.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 21502 ranks nationally
Cumberland, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$60,725 30th percentile higher than 30% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
19,416housing units
19,416
Total Housing Units
16,268
Occupied Units
3,148
Vacant Units
2.21
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$153,700
Median Home Value
-66% vs state ZIP avg
$773
Median Rent
1957
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
+7.8%
YoY Change (2024)
208
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+108%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 21502 have increased 7.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +108% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.0% | 145 |
| 2021 | +8.1% | 157 |
| 2022 | +14.6% | 180 |
| 2023 | +7.0% | 193 |
| 2024 | +7.8% | 208 |
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 1,015 business establishments in ZIP 21502, employing approximately 17,056 people with a combined annual payroll of $797,877,000.
1,015
Businesses
17,056
Employees
$797.9M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 208 | 20.5% |
| Retail trade | 181 | 17.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 137 | 13.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 100 | 9.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 62 | 6.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 60 | 5.9% |
| Construction | 56 | 5.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 38 | 3.7% |
| Manufacturing | 31 | 3.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 31 | 3.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 31 | 3.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 26 | 2.6% |
| Information | 24 | 2.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 13 | 1.3% |
| Educational services | 7 | 0.7% |
| Utilities | 6 | 0.6% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 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 21502 vs 26767 →
ZIP 21502 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21502
Cumberland (21502)
44,400 residents
- 26753 6,254
Ridgeley (26753)
6,254 residents
- 15545 2,879
Hyndman (15545)
2,879 residents
- 21545 1,940
Mount Savage (21545)
1,940 residents
- 26767 768
Wiley Ford (26767)
768 residents
- 21529 631
Ellerslie (21529)
631 residents
- 21524 626
Corriganville (21524)
626 residents
- 26722 599
Green Spring (26722)
599 residents
- 15564 50
Wellersburg (15564)
50 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21502 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21502 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 26767
Wiley Ford (26767)
$92,073 median income
- 21524
Corriganville (21524)
$76,417 median income
- 26722
Green Spring (26722)
$75,625 median income
- 26753
Ridgeley (26753)
$73,694 median income
- 21502
Cumberland (21502)
$60,725 median income
- 21545
Mount Savage (21545)
$60,264 median income
- 15545
Hyndman (15545)
$56,757 median income
- 15564
Wellersburg (15564)
$56,250 median income
- 21529
Ellerslie (21529)
$37,240 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 21502 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 21502, both outside MD so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (44,400 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Allegany County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 21502 in?
ZIP code 21502 (Cumberland) is located in Allegany County, Maryland. Allegany County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/allegany-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 21502?
ZIP code 21502 in Cumberland, MD has a population of 44,400 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21502?
The median household income in ZIP 21502 is $60,725, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21502?
The median home value in ZIP 21502 is $153,700, which is 45% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21502?
The largest racial group in ZIP 21502 is White at 82.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21502?
ZIP code 21502 has 1,015 business establishments employing approximately 17,056 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21502?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21502 are: Health care and social assistance (208), Retail trade (181), Other services (except public administration) (137). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21502?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21502 increased by 7.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 108%. 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 21502?
In ZIP code 21502, 59.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.9% 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 21502?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21502 is 20.2 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 21502?
In ZIP code 21502, approximately 72.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21502?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21502 is 16.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 21502's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 21502 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Cumberland, MD ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.