Galena, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21635

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

Reviewed by PlainZIP Editorial Team, ZIP Code Data Editors · June 13, 2026

2,098
26/sq mi: $101,618
Median income: $402,000
Median home value: 38.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Galena pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 18%
household income, US ZIPs: Top 20%
home value, US ZIPs: 26
people per sq mi: 82%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21635 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21635 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 79.8 square miles in Galena, Kent County, Maryland. The area is home to 2,098 residents, producing a population density of 26 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 21635 against Maryland and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 21635 sits at $101,618 (11% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $50,164. The poverty rate stands at 2.5% and the unemployment rate at 3.1%. On housing, the median home value is $402,000 (10% below the state average) with median rent at $1,088 per month, and 81.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 21635 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 38.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 50.3, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Kent County, so you can benchmark 21635 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 21635

Retail trade

7
Professional, scientific, and technical services

5
Other services (except public administration)

5
Finance and insurance

4
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services

4

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 21635, Galena, MD · 2023 Accessed 2026-06-13 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

2,098

Population

79.8

Area (sq mi)

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 21635?

50.3

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

1.1%

Foreign-Born

White 90.5%

African American 3.4%

Asian 0.2%

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%

Two or More Ethnicities 4.2%

Hispanic or Latino 2.6%

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?

$101,618

Median Household Income

-11% vs state

$50,164

Per Capita Income

2.5%

Poverty Rate

3.1%

Unemployment Rate

26.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21635 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$101,618 Top 18% higher than 82% 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 64.2%

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.2%

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

What does housing look like?

1,177

Total Housing Units

940

Occupied Units

237

Vacant Units

2.21

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.8%

Renter 18.2%

$402,000

Median Home Value

-10% vs state

$1,088

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

+7.9%

YoY Change (2024)

251

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+151%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21635 have increased 7.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +151% cumulative appreciation.

Year	Annual Change	HPI Index
2020	+11.3%	174
2021	+2.0%	177
2022	+12.9%	200
2023	+16.4%	233
2024	+7.9%	251

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 45 business establishments in ZIP 21635, employing approximately 192 people with a combined annual payroll of $7,158,000.

Businesses

192

Employees

$7.2M

Annual Payroll

Industry Sectors

Industry	Establishments	% of Total
Retail trade	7	15.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services	5	11.1%
Other services (except public administration)	5	11.1%
Finance and insurance	4	8.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	4	8.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	4	8.9%
Accommodation and food services	4	8.9%
Construction	3	6.7%

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 21635 vs 21650 →

19938

8,357
21919

3,467
21651

2,898
21635

2,098
21668

1,904
21912

1,240
21645

1,039
21913

663
21628

556

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21635 ranks #4 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

21628

$115,417
21919

$106,500
21635

$101,618
19938

$99,596
21913

$87,813
21645

$86,118
21668

$78,672
21651

$74,063
21912

$69,868

What this shows By household income, ZIP 21635 ranks #3 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

ZIP Code	City	Population	Distance
21650	Massey, MD	238	2.3 mi
21930	Georgetown, MD	94	3.5 mi
21651	Millington, MD	2,898	5.5 mi
21913	Cecilton, MD	663	4.8 mi
21912	Warwick, MD	1,240	5.8 mi
21645	Kennedyville, MD	1,039	6.7 mi
21668	Sudlersville, MD	1,904	10.3 mi
21919	Earleville, MD	3,467	7.5 mi
21628	Crumpton, MD	556	8.2 mi
19938	Clayton, DE	8,357	9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Kent County

Kent County Galena, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21635 in? ▼

ZIP code 21635 (Galena) is located in Kent County, Maryland. Kent County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/kent-md.

What is the population of ZIP code 21635? ▼

ZIP code 21635 in Galena, MD has a population of 2,098 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in ZIP 21635? ▼

The median household income in ZIP 21635 is $101,618, which is 33% above the national average of $76,288.

What is the average home value in ZIP 21635? ▼

The median home value in ZIP 21635 is $402,000, which is 45% above the national average of $278,155.

What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21635? ▼

The largest racial group in ZIP 21635 is White at 90.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.6% of the population.

How many businesses are in ZIP code 21635? ▼

ZIP code 21635 has 45 business establishments employing approximately 192 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.

What are the main industries in ZIP code 21635? ▼

The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21635 are: Retail trade (7), Professional, scientific, and technical services (5), Other services (except public administration) (5). There are 8 industry sectors represented in total.

How have home values changed in ZIP code 21635? ▼

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21635 increased by 7.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 151%. 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 21635? ▼

In ZIP code 21635, 64.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 38.2% 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 21635? ▼

The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21635 is 26.8 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 21635? ▼

In ZIP code 21635, approximately 81.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21635? ▼

The poverty rate in ZIP code 21635 is 2.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.