Accident, MD · standard
ZIP Code 21520
Garrett County, Maryland — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,074
- 13/sq mi
- $59,852
- Median income
- $298,600
- Median home value
- 30.8%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Accident pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 29th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 34%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 13
- people per sq mi
- 81%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21520 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 21520 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 158.3 square miles in Accident, Garrett County, Maryland. The area is home to 2,074 residents, producing a population density of 13 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 21520 against Maryland and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 21520 sits at $59,852 (48% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $45,096. The poverty rate stands at 8.1% and the unemployment rate at 1.5%. On housing, the median home value is $298,600 (33% below the state average) with median rent at $693 per month, and 80.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 21520 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 30.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.3, and the average commute is 21 minutes. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Garrett County, so you can benchmark 21520 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 21520
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21520.
- Construction
Construction
13 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
9 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
6 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
6 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
6 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 21520, Accident, MD · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
2,074
Population
158.3
Area (sq mi)
13
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 21520?
43.3
Median Age
45.6%
Male
54.4%
Female
1.8%
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?
$59,852
Median Household Income
-48% vs state
$45,096
Per Capita Income
8.1%
Poverty Rate
1.5%
Unemployment Rate
20.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 21520 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$59,852 29th percentile higher than 29% 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?
978
Total Housing Units
787
Occupied Units
191
Vacant Units
2.41
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$298,600
Median Home Value
-33% vs state
$693
Median Rent
1980
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 64 business establishments in ZIP 21520, employing approximately 529 people with a combined annual payroll of $18,713,000.
64
Businesses
529
Employees
$18.7M
Annual Payroll
10
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 13 | 20.3% |
| Retail trade | 9 | 14.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 9.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 6 | 9.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 6 | 9.4% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 7.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 7.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 6.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 4.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 4.7% |
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 21520 vs 21522 →
ZIP 21520 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21536
Grantsville (21536)
4,121 residents
- 21561
Swanton (21561)
2,627 residents
- 21531
Friendsville (21531)
2,227 residents
- 21520
Accident (21520)
2,074 residents
- 21541 1,546
Mc Henry (21541)
1,546 residents
- 15411 661
Addison (15411)
661 residents
- 21522 141
Bittinger (21522)
141 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21520 ranks #4 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21520 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21541
Mc Henry (21541)
$82,955 median income
- 21561
Swanton (21561)
$73,858 median income
- 15411
Addison (15411)
$68,125 median income
- 21536
Grantsville (21536)
$64,205 median income
- 21531
Friendsville (21531)
$63,750 median income
- 21520
Accident (21520)
$59,852 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 21520 ranks #6 of 6 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Garrett County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 21520 in? ▼
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What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21520? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21520? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21520? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 21520? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 21520? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 21520? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21520? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Accident, MD
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.