Berlin, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21811

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

22,550
87/sq mi
$90,082
Median income
$388,900
Median home value
39.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 27%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 22%
home value, US ZIPs
87
people per sq mi
83%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21811 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21811 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 260.7 square miles in Berlin, Worcester County, Maryland. The area is home to 22,550 residents, producing a population density of 87 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 21811 against Maryland and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 21811 sits at $90,082 (21% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $51,350. The poverty rate stands at 9.8% and the unemployment rate at 5.8%. On housing, the median home value is $388,900 (13% below the state average) with median rent at $1,377 per month, and 83.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 21811 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 39.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 54.9, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 7 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Worcester County, so you can benchmark 21811 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 21811

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21811.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 21811, Berlin, MD · 2023 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

22,550

Population

260.7

Area (sq mi)

87

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 21811?

54.9

Median Age

47.3%

Male

52.7%

Female

4.2%

Foreign-Born

White 81.2%
African American 9.6%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.4%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%

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?

$90,082

Median Household Income

-21% vs state

$51,350

Per Capita Income

9.8%

Poverty Rate

5.8%

Unemployment Rate

24.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21811 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$90,082 Top 27% higher than 73% 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 64.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 39.9%

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

What does housing look like?

15,491

Total Housing Units

10,749

Occupied Units

4,742

Vacant Units

2.25

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 83.3%
Renter 16.7%

$388,900

Median Home Value

-13% vs state

$1,377

Median Rent

1993

Median Year Built

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

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

-2.1%

YoY Change (2024)

296

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+196%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21811 have decreased 2.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +196% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.2% 193
2021 +13.7% 219
2022 +14.2% 251
2023 +20.7% 303
2024 -2.1% 296

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 689 business establishments in ZIP 21811, employing approximately 6,736 people with a combined annual payroll of $311,814,000.

689

Businesses

6,736

Employees

$311.8M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 100 14.5%
Health care and social assistance 99 14.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 77 11.2%
Construction 76 11.0%
Accommodation and food services 65 9.4%
Other services (except public administration) 65 9.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 44 6.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 44 6.4%
Finance and insurance 31 4.5%
Wholesale trade 23 3.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 19 2.8%
Transportation and warehousing 14 2.0%
Information 10 1.4%
Manufacturing 9 1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 7 1.0%
Educational services 4 0.6%

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 21811 vs 21862 →

ZIP 21811 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 21811 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 21811 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 21811 ranks #3 of 6 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
21862 Showell, MD 106 5.4 mi
21841 Newark, MD 860 6.6 mi
21813 Bishopville, MD 2,852 7.9 mi
21872 Whaleyville, MD 718 8.0 mi
21842 Ocean City, MD 11,089 7.7 mi
19975 Selbyville, DE 8,253 10.6 mi
21874 Willards, MD 2,210 8.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Worcester County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21811 in?
ZIP code 21811 (Berlin) is located in Worcester County, Maryland. Worcester County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/worcester-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 21811?
ZIP code 21811 in Berlin, MD has a population of 22,550 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21811?
The median household income in ZIP 21811 is $90,082, which is 18% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21811?
The median home value in ZIP 21811 is $388,900, which is 40% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21811?
The largest racial group in ZIP 21811 is White at 81.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21811?
ZIP code 21811 has 689 business establishments employing approximately 6,736 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21811?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21811 are: Retail trade (100), Health care and social assistance (99), Professional, scientific, and technical services (77). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21811?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21811 decreased by 2.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 196%. 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 21811?
In ZIP code 21811, 64.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 39.9% 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 21811?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21811 is 24.2 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 21811?
In ZIP code 21811, approximately 83.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 16.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21811?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21811 is 9.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Berlin, MD

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.