Fruitland, MD · standard
ZIP Code 21826
Wicomico County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,837
- 420/sq mi
- $64,946
- Median income
- $223,100
- Median home value
- 36.2%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Fruitland pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- 38th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 50%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 420
- people per sq mi
- 66%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21826 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 21826 covers 11.5 square miles in Fruitland, Wicomico County, Maryland (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,837 residents on file, a density of 420 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 21826 reports a modest median household income of $64,946 (43% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $28,326. Local economic indicators show a 15.4% poverty rate alongside 3.6% unemployment. Median home value sits at $223,100 (50% below the state average), median rent at $1,586 a month, and owner-occupancy at 66.0%.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 36.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.2, and the average commute is -. To put 21826 in local context, 9 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Wicomico 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 21826
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Fruitland, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21826.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
17 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
12 establishments
- Construction
Construction
9 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
8 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
8 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 21826, Fruitland, 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
4,837
Population
11.5
Area (sq mi)
420
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 21826?
33.2
Median Age
44.3%
Male
55.7%
Female
9.5%
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?
$64,946
Median Household Income
-43% vs state
$28,326
Per Capita Income
15.4%
Poverty Rate
3.6%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 21826 ranks nationally
Fruitland, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$64,946 38th percentile higher than 38% 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?
2,044
Total Housing Units
1,909
Occupied Units
135
Vacant Units
2.84
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$223,100
Median Home Value
-50% vs state
$1,586
Median Rent
1985
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
-7.7%
YoY Change (2024)
221
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+121%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 21826 have decreased 7.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +121% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.6% | 166 |
| 2021 | +8.6% | 181 |
| 2022 | +22.2% | 221 |
| 2023 | +8.4% | 239 |
| 2024 | -7.7% | 221 |
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 94 business establishments in ZIP 21826, employing approximately 1,057 people with a combined annual payroll of $38,724,000.
94
Businesses
1,057
Employees
$38.7M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 17 | 18.1% |
| Retail trade | 12 | 12.8% |
| Construction | 9 | 9.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 8 | 8.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 8 | 8.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 7 | 7.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 6 | 6.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 6.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 5.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 4.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 3.2% |
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 21826 vs 21822 →
ZIP 21826 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
- 21853 11,126
Princess Anne (21853)
11,126 residents
- 21875 6,467
Delmar (21875)
6,467 residents
- 21826 4,837
Fruitland (21826)
4,837 residents
- 21830 4,026
Hebron (21830)
4,026 residents
- 21837 2,614
Mardela Springs (21837)
2,614 residents
- 21822 1,930
Eden (21822)
1,930 residents
- 21810 487
Allen (21810)
487 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21826 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21826 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21830
Hebron (21830)
$112,991 median income
- 21822
Eden (21822)
$84,479 median income
- 21875
Delmar (21875)
$83,665 median income
- 21804
Salisbury (21804)
$73,156 median income
- 21801
Salisbury (21801)
$71,313 median income
- 21853
Princess Anne (21853)
$69,697 median income
- 21826
Fruitland (21826)
$64,946 median income
- 21837
Mardela Springs (21837)
$62,880 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 21826 ranks #7 of 8 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21822 | Eden, MD | 1,930 | 3.0 mi |
| 21802 | Salisbury, MD | 89 | 3.1 mi |
| 21801 | Salisbury, MD | 29,961 | 4.5 mi |
| 21804 | Salisbury, MD | 38,491 | 5.1 mi |
| 21810 | Allen, MD | 487 | 4.7 mi |
| 21830 | Hebron, MD | 4,026 | 8.1 mi |
| 21875 | Delmar, MD | 6,467 | 9.5 mi |
| 21853 | Princess Anne, MD | 11,126 | 9.2 mi |
| 21837 | Mardela Springs, MD | 2,614 | 12.4 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Wicomico County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 21826 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 21826? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 21826? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 21826? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21826? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21826? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21826? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21826? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 21826? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 21826? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21826? ▼
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.