PlainZIP

Rawlings, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21557

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

1,895
27/sq mi
$34,936
Median income
$123,300
Median home value
19.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Rawlings pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
18th pct
home value, US ZIPs
27
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21557 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21557 covers 69.7 square miles in Rawlings, Allegany County, Maryland (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,895 residents on file, a density of 27 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21557 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $34,936 (69% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $29,039. 13.9% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 0.0%. On housing, the median home value is $123,300 (72% below the state average) with median rent at - per month, and 74.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.3, and the average commute is -. To put 21557 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 21557, Rawlings, 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

1,895

Population

69.7

Area (sq mi)

27

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 21557?

45.3

Median Age

49.8%

Male

50.2%

Female

4.5%

Foreign-Born

White 95.5%
African American 0.0%
Asian 4.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.0%
Hispanic or Latino 0.0%

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?

$34,936

Median Household Income

-69% vs state

$29,039

Per Capita Income

13.9%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 21557 ranks nationally

Rawlings, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$34,936 3rd percentile higher than 3% 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 63.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.5%

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

What does housing look like?

817

Total Housing Units

715

Occupied Units

102

Vacant Units

2.07

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.8%
Renter 25.2%

$123,300

Median Home Value

-72% vs state

1964

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 17 business establishments in ZIP 21557, employing approximately 46 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,030,000.

17

Businesses

46

Employees

$2.0M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 6 35.3%
Retail trade 3 17.6%

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 21557 vs 21542 →

ZIP 21557 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 21557 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 21557 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 21557 ranks #9 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
21542 Midland, MD 483 5.5 mi
21562 Westernport, MD 3,141 6.9 mi
21521 Barton, MD 1,265 6.5 mi
26750 Piedmont, WV 891 7.1 mi
21543 Midlothian, MD 140 9.2 mi
21539 Lonaconing, MD 2,819 7.3 mi
21532 Frostburg, MD 15,620 9.6 mi
26753 Ridgeley, WV 6,254 7.8 mi
21540 Luke, MD 65 7.9 mi
26719 Fort Ashby, WV 2,785 8.3 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 Rawlings, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21557 in? ▼
ZIP code 21557 (Rawlings) 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 21557? ▼
ZIP code 21557 in Rawlings, MD has a population of 1,895 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21557? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21557 is $34,936, which is 54% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21557? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21557 is $123,300, which is 56% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21557? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21557 is White at 95.5%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21557? ▼
ZIP code 21557 has 17 business establishments employing approximately 46 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 21557? ▼
In ZIP code 21557, 63.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.5% 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 21557? ▼
In ZIP code 21557, approximately 74.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21557? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21557 is 13.9% 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.