PlainZIP

Barton, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21521

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

1,265
21/sq mi
$64,194
Median income
$107,500
Median home value
12.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Barton pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

37th pct
household income, US ZIPs
12th pct
home value, US ZIPs
21
people per sq mi
90%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21521 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21521 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Barton, Allegany County, Maryland, home to just 1,265 residents across 60.0 square miles, a density of 21 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21521 reports a modest median household income of $64,194 (44% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $33,294. The poverty rate stands at 12.6% and the unemployment rate at 13.4%. The typical home here is valued at $107,500 (76% below the state average); renters pay a median of $863 monthly, and 89.6% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 54.1, and the average commute is -. To put 21521 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Allegany 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 →

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 21521, Barton, 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

1,265

Population

60.0

Area (sq mi)

21

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 21521?

54.1

Median Age

49.0%

Male

51.0%

Female

0.3%

Foreign-Born

White 99.2%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.5%
Hispanic or Latino 0.4%

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?

$64,194

Median Household Income

-44% vs state

$33,294

Per Capita Income

12.6%

Poverty Rate

13.4%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 21521 ranks nationally

Barton, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$64,194 37th percentile higher than 37% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 54.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.1%

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

What does housing look like?

656

Total Housing Units

568

Occupied Units

88

Vacant Units

2.46

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 89.6%
Renter 10.4%

$107,500

Median Home Value

-76% vs state

$863

Median Rent

1964

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 18 business establishments in ZIP 21521, employing approximately 183 people with a combined annual payroll of $10,916,000.

18

Businesses

183

Employees

$10.9M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Transportation and warehousing 3 16.7%
Other services (except public administration) 3 16.7%

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 21521 vs 21562 →

ZIP 21521 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 21521 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 21521 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 21521 ranks #3 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
21562 Westernport, MD 3,141 3.0 mi
26750 Piedmont, WV 891 4.8 mi
21539 Lonaconing, MD 2,819 3.9 mi
21540 Luke, MD 65 4.9 mi
21523 Bloomington, MD 286 5.0 mi
21542 Midland, MD 483 5.9 mi
21557 Rawlings, MD 1,895 6.5 mi
21543 Midlothian, MD 140 8.3 mi
21532 Frostburg, MD 15,620 8.7 mi
26726 Keyser, WV 13,306 10.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Allegany County

21502 standard
Cumberland, MD
Pop: 44,400
21532 standard
Frostburg, MD
Pop: 15,620
21562 standard
Westernport, MD
Pop: 3,141
21539 standard
Lonaconing, MD
Pop: 2,819
21545 standard
Mount Savage, MD
Pop: 1,940
21555 standard
Oldtown, MD
Pop: 1,936

Related Areas

Allegany County Barton, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21521 in? ▼
ZIP code 21521 (Barton) 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 21521? ▼
ZIP code 21521 in Barton, MD has a population of 1,265 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21521? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21521 is $64,194, which is 16% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21521? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21521 is $107,500, which is 61% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21521? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21521 is White at 99.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21521? ▼
ZIP code 21521 has 18 business establishments employing approximately 183 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 21521? ▼
In ZIP code 21521, 54.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 21521? ▼
In ZIP code 21521, approximately 89.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 10.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21521? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21521 is 12.6% 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.