PlainZIP

Ridgely, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21660

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

4,063
47/sq mi
$80,469
Median income
$359,300
Median home value
17.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 37%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 25%
home value, US ZIPs
47
people per sq mi
77%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21660 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21660 covers 85.7 square miles in Ridgely, Caroline County, Maryland (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,063 residents on file, a density of 47 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21660 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $80,469 (29% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $34,931. 8.1% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 9.5%. On housing, the median home value is $359,300 (20% below the state average) with median rent at $945 per month, and 77.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.6, and the average commute is 40 minutes. To put 21660 in local context, 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Caroline 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 21660

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ridgely, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21660.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 21660, Ridgely, 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

4,063

Population

85.7

Area (sq mi)

47

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 21660?

35.6

Median Age

47.6%

Male

52.4%

Female

1.5%

Foreign-Born

White 82.8%
African American 8.0%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.8%
Hispanic or Latino 6.1%

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?

$80,469

Median Household Income

-29% vs state

$34,931

Per Capita Income

8.1%

Poverty Rate

9.5%

Unemployment Rate

39.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21660 ranks nationally

Ridgely, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$80,469 Top 37% higher than 63% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 53.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.3%

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

What does housing look like?

1,516

Total Housing Units

1,457

Occupied Units

59

Vacant Units

2.77

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 77.1%
Renter 22.9%

$359,300

Median Home Value

-20% vs state

$945

Median Rent

1990

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

-0.8%

YoY Change (2024)

259

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+159%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21660 have decreased 0.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +159% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.6% 192
2021 +8.8% 209
2022 +22.7% 256
2023 +1.6% 261
2024 -0.8% 259

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 69 business establishments in ZIP 21660, employing approximately 861 people with a combined annual payroll of $43,083,000.

69

Businesses

861

Employees

$43.1M

Annual Payroll

10

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 14 20.3%
Other services (except public administration) 9 13.0%
Transportation and warehousing 7 10.1%
Wholesale trade 5 7.3%
Retail trade 5 7.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 5 7.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 7.3%
Manufacturing 4 5.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 5.8%
Finance and insurance 3 4.3%

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 21660 vs 21641 →

ZIP 21660 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 21660 ranks #4 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 21660 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 21660 ranks #4 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
21641 Hillsboro, MD 117 3.8 mi
21657 Queen Anne, MD 777 5.1 mi
21639 Greensboro, MD 4,408 5.2 mi
21636 Goldsboro, MD 1,186 6.6 mi
21629 Denton, MD 9,555 7.3 mi
21640 Henderson, MD 1,632 8.7 mi
21625 Cordova, MD 2,719 8.1 mi
21617 Centreville, MD 9,907 10.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Caroline County

21629 standard
Denton, MD
Pop: 9,555
21632 standard
Federalsburg, MD
Pop: 6,353
21655 standard
Preston, MD
Pop: 5,009
21639 standard
Greensboro, MD
Pop: 4,408
21649 standard
Marydel, MD
Pop: 1,858
21640 standard
Henderson, MD
Pop: 1,632

Related Areas

Caroline County Ridgely, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21660 in? ▼
ZIP code 21660 (Ridgely) is located in Caroline County, Maryland. Caroline County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/caroline-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 21660? ▼
ZIP code 21660 in Ridgely, MD has a population of 4,063 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21660? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21660 is $80,469, which is 5% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21660? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21660 is $359,300, which is 29% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21660? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21660 is White at 82.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21660? ▼
ZIP code 21660 has 69 business establishments employing approximately 861 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21660? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21660 are: Construction (14), Other services (except public administration) (9), Transportation and warehousing (7). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21660? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21660 decreased by 0.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 159%. 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 21660? ▼
In ZIP code 21660, 53.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.3% 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 21660? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21660 is 39.9 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 21660? ▼
In ZIP code 21660, approximately 77.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 22.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21660? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21660 is 8.1% 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.