Salisbury, MD · standard
ZIP Code 21804
Wicomico County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 38,491
- 200/sq mi High-density area
- $73,156
- Median income Near-median income area
- $243,700
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 28.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Salisbury pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- Top 48%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 44%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 200
- people per sq mi
- 51%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21804 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 21804 (Salisbury, MD) rose +8.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 235.9 in 2023 to 256.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 21804 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Salisbury, Wicomico County, Maryland, with 38,491 residents across 192.5 square miles, a density of 200 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 21804 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $73,156 (36% below the average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $35,152. The poverty rate is 16.7%, with unemployment at 7.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $243,700 (46% below the average Maryland ZIP), and median rent is $1,432; owner occupancy is 51.4%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 28.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32.6, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Wicomico County, so 21804 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 21804
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Salisbury, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21804.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
177 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
94 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
83 establishments
- Construction
Construction
73 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
72 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 21804, Salisbury, 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
38,491
Population
192.5
Area (sq mi)
200
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 21804?
32.6
Median Age
49.3%
Male
50.7%
Female
12.5%
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?
$73,156
Median Household Income
-36% vs state ZIP avg
$35,152
Per Capita Income
16.7%
Poverty Rate
7.2%
Unemployment Rate
22.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 21804 ranks nationally
Salisbury, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$73,156 Top 48% higher than 52% 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
17,049housing units
17,049
Total Housing Units
15,707
Occupied Units
1,342
Vacant Units
2.48
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$243,700
Median Home Value
-46% vs state ZIP avg
$1,432
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
+8.8%
YoY Change (2024)
257
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+157%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 21804 have increased 8.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +157% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.4% | 165 |
| 2021 | +13.9% | 188 |
| 2022 | +16.3% | 219 |
| 2023 | +7.8% | 236 |
| 2024 | +8.8% | 257 |
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 833 business establishments in ZIP 21804, employing approximately 10,904 people with a combined annual payroll of $595,736,000.
833
Businesses
10,904
Employees
$595.7M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 177 | 21.3% |
| Retail trade | 94 | 11.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 83 | 10.0% |
| Construction | 73 | 8.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 72 | 8.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 64 | 7.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 61 | 7.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 52 | 6.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 41 | 4.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 28 | 3.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 26 | 3.1% |
| Manufacturing | 18 | 2.2% |
| Educational services | 12 | 1.4% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 10 | 1.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 10 | 1.2% |
| Information | 8 | 1.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 0.4% |
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 21804 vs 21802 →
ZIP 21804 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21804
Salisbury (21804)
38,491 residents
- 21801
Salisbury (21801)
29,961 residents
- 21875 6,467
Delmar (21875)
6,467 residents
- 21863 5,029
Snow Hill (21863)
5,029 residents
- 21826 4,837
Fruitland (21826)
4,837 residents
- 21849 3,238
Parsonsburg (21849)
3,238 residents
- 21850 2,790
Pittsville (21850)
2,790 residents
- 21822 1,930
Eden (21822)
1,930 residents
- 21802 89
Salisbury (21802)
89 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21804 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21804 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21822
Eden (21822)
$84,479 median income
- 21875
Delmar (21875)
$83,665 median income
- 21850
Pittsville (21850)
$79,665 median income
- 21804
Salisbury (21804)
$73,156 median income
- 21801
Salisbury (21801)
$71,313 median income
- 21849
Parsonsburg (21849)
$71,211 median income
- 21826
Fruitland (21826)
$64,946 median income
- 21863
Snow Hill (21863)
$61,975 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 21804 ranks #4 of 8 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 21804, 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 (38,491 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Wicomico County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 21804 in?
ZIP code 21804 (Salisbury) is located in Wicomico County, Maryland. Wicomico County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/wicomico-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 21804?
ZIP code 21804 in Salisbury, MD has a population of 38,491 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21804?
The median household income in ZIP 21804 is $73,156, which is 4% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21804?
The median home value in ZIP 21804 is $243,700, which is 12% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21804?
The largest racial group in ZIP 21804 is White at 55.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21804?
ZIP code 21804 has 833 business establishments employing approximately 10,904 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21804?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21804 are: Health care and social assistance (177), Retail trade (94), Other services (except public administration) (83). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21804?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21804 increased by 8.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 157%. 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 21804?
In ZIP code 21804, 60.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 28.2% 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 21804?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21804 is 22.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 21804?
In ZIP code 21804, approximately 51.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 48.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21804?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21804 is 16.7% 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 21804's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 21804 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Salisbury, MD ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.