Ocean City, MD · standard
ZIP Code 21842
Worcester County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 11,089
- 481/sq mi High-density area
- $79,876
- Median income Near-median income area
- $447,700
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 40.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Ocean City pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 38%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 16%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 481
- people per sq mi
- 76%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21842 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 21842 (Ocean City, MD) rose +8.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 318.8 in 2023 to 344.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 21842 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ocean City, Worcester County, Maryland, home to 11,089 residents across 23.0 square miles, a density of 481 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 21842 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $79,876 (30% below the average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $75,528. The poverty rate is 9.4%, with unemployment at 7.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $447,700 (0% above the average Maryland ZIP) and median rent is $1,394; 76.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 40.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 53.4, and the average commute is 20 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Worcester County, so 21842 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 21842
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ocean City, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21842.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
382 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
220 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 96
Real estate and rental and leasing
96 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 92
Other services (except public administration)
92 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 69
Professional, scientific, and technical services
69 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 21842, Ocean City, 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
11,089
Population
23.0
Area (sq mi)
481
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 21842?
53.4
Median Age
49.4%
Male
50.6%
Female
9.0%
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?
$79,876
Median Household Income
-30% vs state ZIP avg
$75,528
Per Capita Income
9.4%
Poverty Rate
7.5%
Unemployment Rate
19.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 21842 ranks among Maryland ZIPs
Ocean City, 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)
$79,876 22nd percentile higher than 22% 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
32,621housing units
32,621
Total Housing Units
5,751
Occupied Units
26,870
Vacant Units
1.92
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$447,700
Median Home Value
+0% vs state ZIP avg
$1,394
Median Rent
1983
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
+8.1%
YoY Change (2024)
345
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+245%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 21842 have increased 8.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +245% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.6% | 202 |
| 2021 | +14.1% | 231 |
| 2022 | +19.7% | 276 |
| 2023 | +15.6% | 319 |
| 2024 | +8.1% | 345 |
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 1,116 business establishments in ZIP 21842, employing approximately 9,768 people with a combined annual payroll of $457,493,000.
1,116
Businesses
9,768
Employees
$457.5M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 382 | 34.2% |
| Retail trade | 220 | 19.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 96 | 8.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 92 | 8.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 69 | 6.2% |
| Construction | 51 | 4.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 38 | 3.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 35 | 3.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 33 | 3.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 31 | 2.8% |
| Information | 20 | 1.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 18 | 1.6% |
| Manufacturing | 13 | 1.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 9 | 0.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 5 | 0.5% |
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 21842 vs 21813 →
ZIP 21842 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21811
Berlin (21811)
22,550 residents
- 21842
Ocean City (21842)
11,089 residents
- 19975 8,253
Selbyville (19975)
8,253 residents
- 19945 6,862
Frankford (19945)
6,862 residents
- 21813 2,852
Bishopville (21813)
2,852 residents
- 19944 620
Fenwick Island (19944)
620 residents
- 21862 106
Showell (21862)
106 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21842 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21842 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21813
Bishopville (21813)
$121,472 median income
- 19944
Fenwick Island (19944)
$121,250 median income
- 21811
Berlin (21811)
$90,082 median income
- 19975
Selbyville (19975)
$88,568 median income
- 19945
Frankford (19945)
$87,638 median income
- 21842
Ocean City (21842)
$79,876 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 21842 ranks #6 of 6 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 21842, 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 (11,089 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Worcester County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 21842 in?
ZIP code 21842 (Ocean City) 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 21842?
ZIP code 21842 in Ocean City, MD has a population of 11,089 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21842?
The median household income in ZIP 21842 is $79,876, which is 5% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21842?
The median home value in ZIP 21842 is $447,700, which is 61% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21842?
The largest racial group in ZIP 21842 is White at 86.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21842?
ZIP code 21842 has 1,116 business establishments employing approximately 9,768 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21842?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21842 are: Accommodation and food services (382), Retail trade (220), Real estate and rental and leasing (96). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21842?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21842 increased by 8.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 245%. 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 21842?
In ZIP code 21842, 68.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 40.7% 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 21842?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21842 is 19.6 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 21842?
In ZIP code 21842, approximately 76.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21842?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21842 is 9.4% 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 21842's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 21842 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Ocean City, 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.