Mardela Springs, MD · standard
ZIP Code 21837
Wicomico County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,614
- 23/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $62,880
- Median income Near-median income area
- $227,400
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 18.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Mardela Springs pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 34th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 48%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 23
- people per sq mi
- 87%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21837 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 21837 covers 115.2 square miles in Mardela Springs, Wicomico County, Maryland (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,614 residents on file, a density of 23 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 21837 reports a modest median household income of $62,880 (45% below the average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,456. The poverty rate is 5.7%, with unemployment at 4.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $227,400 (49% below the average Maryland ZIP), and median rent is $1,115; owner occupancy is 87.2%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.8, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Wicomico County, so 21837 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 21837
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Mardela Springs, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21837.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
7 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
4 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
4 establishments
- Construction
Construction
3 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
3 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 21837, Mardela Springs, 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
2,614
Population
115.2
Area (sq mi)
23
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 21837?
40.8
Median Age
44.8%
Male
55.2%
Female
4.4%
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?
$62,880
Median Household Income
-45% vs state ZIP avg
$34,456
Per Capita Income
5.7%
Poverty Rate
4.6%
Unemployment Rate
25.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 21837 ranks among Maryland ZIPs
Mardela Springs, 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)
$62,880 10th percentile higher than 10% 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
1,179housing units
1,179
Total Housing Units
1,123
Occupied Units
56
Vacant Units
2.57
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$227,400
Median Home Value
-49% vs state ZIP avg
$1,115
Median Rent
1993
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 33 business establishments in ZIP 21837, employing approximately 190 people with a combined annual payroll of $6,829,000.
33
Businesses
190
Employees
$6.8M
Annual Payroll
6
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 7 | 21.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 12.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 12.1% |
| Construction | 3 | 9.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 9.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 3 | 9.1% |
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 21837 vs 21830 →
ZIP 21837 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21801
Salisbury (21801)
29,961 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
- 21659 1,551
Rhodesdale (21659)
1,551 residents
- 21856 1,035
Quantico (21856)
1,035 residents
- 21869 1,006
Vienna (21869)
1,006 residents
- 21861 757
Sharptown (21861)
757 residents
- 19931 211
Bethel (19931)
211 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21837 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21837 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
- 19931
Bethel (19931)
$99,375 median income
- 21856
Quantico (21856)
$88,045 median income
- 21861
Sharptown (21861)
$86,027 median income
- 21659
Rhodesdale (21659)
$73,750 median income
- 21801
Salisbury (21801)
$71,313 median income
- 21826
Fruitland (21826)
$64,946 median income
- 21837
Mardela Springs (21837)
$62,880 median income
- 21869
Vienna (21869)
$62,045 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 21837 ranks #8 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 21837, 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 (2,614 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 21837 in?
ZIP code 21837 (Mardela Springs) 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 21837?
ZIP code 21837 in Mardela Springs, MD has a population of 2,614 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21837?
The median household income in ZIP 21837 is $62,880, which is 18% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21837?
The median home value in ZIP 21837 is $227,400, which is 18% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21837?
The largest racial group in ZIP 21837 is White at 66.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21837?
ZIP code 21837 has 33 business establishments employing approximately 190 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21837?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21837 are: Retail trade (7), Transportation and warehousing (4), Other services (except public administration) (4). There are 6 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 21837?
In ZIP code 21837, 63.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.0% 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 21837?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21837 is 25.6 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 21837?
In ZIP code 21837, approximately 87.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21837?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21837 is 5.7% 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 21837's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 21837 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Mardela Springs, 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.