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 Moderate-density area
- $80,469
- Median income Near-median income area
- $359,300
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 17.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,931. The poverty rate is 8.1%, with unemployment at 9.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $359,300 (20% below the average Maryland ZIP), and median rent is $945; owner occupancy is 77.1%.
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. The page also surfaces 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Caroline County, so 21660 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Construction
Construction
14 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
9 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
7 establishments
- Wholesale trade 5
Wholesale trade
5 establishments
- Retail trade 5
Retail trade
5 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 + 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
Who lives in ZIP 21660?
35.6
Median Age
47.6%
Male
52.4%
Female
1.5%
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?
$80,469
Median Household Income
-29% vs state ZIP avg
$34,931
Per Capita Income
8.1%
Poverty Rate
9.5%
Unemployment Rate
39.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 21660 ranks among Maryland ZIPs
Ridgely, MD household income vs. every Maryland ZIP code
Median household income among 419 reporting Maryland ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$80,469 23rd percentile higher than 23% of 419 Maryland ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Maryland 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
1,516housing units
1,516
Total Housing Units
1,457
Occupied Units
59
Vacant Units
2.77
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$359,300
Median Home Value
-20% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 21617
Centreville (21617)
9,907 residents
- 21629
Denton (21629)
9,555 residents
- 21639
Greensboro (21639)
4,408 residents
- 21660
Ridgely (21660)
4,063 residents
- 21625 2,719
Cordova (21625)
2,719 residents
- 21640 1,632
Henderson (21640)
1,632 residents
- 21636 1,186
Goldsboro (21636)
1,186 residents
- 21657 777
Queen Anne (21657)
777 residents
- 21641 117
Hillsboro (21641)
117 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21660 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21660 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21617
Centreville (21617)
$116,898 median income
- 21657
Queen Anne (21657)
$104,940 median income
- 21625
Cordova (21625)
$83,250 median income
- 21660
Ridgely (21660)
$80,469 median income
- 21629
Denton (21629)
$73,956 median income
- 21636
Goldsboro (21636)
$73,426 median income
- 21641
Hillsboro (21641)
$66,875 median income
- 21639
Greensboro (21639)
$62,772 median income
- 21640
Henderson (21640)
$53,558 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 21660, both outside MD so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (4,063 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Caroline County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 21660's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 21660 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Ridgely, MD ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.