PlainZIP

Parsonsburg, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21849

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

3,238
36/sq mi
$71,211
Median income
$249,200
Median home value
27.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Parsonsburg pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

49th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 43%
home value, US ZIPs
36
people per sq mi
76%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21849 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21849 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 89.9 square miles in Parsonsburg, Wicomico County, Maryland. The area is home to 3,238 residents, producing a population density of 36 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 21849 against Maryland and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 21849 sits at $71,211 (38% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $38,184. The poverty rate stands at 7.9% and the unemployment rate at 1.2%. On housing, the median home value is $249,200 (44% below the state average) with median rent at $1,200 per month, and 76.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 21849 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 27.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.7, and the average commute is —. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Wicomico County, so you can benchmark 21849 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 21849

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21849.

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 21849, Parsonsburg, 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

3,238

Population

89.9

Area (sq mi)

36

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 21849?

41.7

Median Age

47.0%

Male

53.0%

Female

2.5%

Foreign-Born

White 91.0%
African American 2.4%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.8%
Hispanic or Latino 0.8%

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?

$71,211

Median Household Income

-38% vs state

$38,184

Per Capita Income

7.9%

Poverty Rate

1.2%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 21849 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$71,211 49th percentile higher than 49% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 63.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 27.4%

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

What does housing look like?

1,569

Total Housing Units

1,402

Occupied Units

167

Vacant Units

2.40

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 76.1%
Renter 23.9%

$249,200

Median Home Value

-44% vs state

$1,200

Median Rent

1979

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

+4.3%

YoY Change (2024)

255

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+155%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21849 have increased 4.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +155% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +14.8% 194
2021 +0.2% 194
2022 +16.3% 226
2023 +8.4% 245
2024 +4.3% 255

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 49 business establishments in ZIP 21849, employing approximately 241 people with a combined annual payroll of $10,048,000.

49

Businesses

241

Employees

$10.0M

Annual Payroll

5

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 23 46.9%
Transportation and warehousing 6 12.2%
Retail trade 5 10.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 3 6.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 6.1%

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 21849 vs 21850 →

ZIP 21849 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 21849 ranks #4 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 21849 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 21849 ranks #5 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
21850 Pittsville, MD 2,790 3.5 mi
21874 Willards, MD 2,210 6.0 mi
21804 Salisbury, MD 38,491 5.8 mi
21802 Salisbury, MD 89 6.9 mi
21875 Delmar, MD 6,467 6.5 mi
19940 Delmar, DE 5,574 9.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Wicomico County

21804 standard
Salisbury, MD
Pop: 38,491
21801 standard
Salisbury, MD
Pop: 29,961
21875 standard
Delmar, MD
Pop: 6,467
21826 standard
Fruitland, MD
Pop: 4,837
21830 standard
Hebron, MD
Pop: 4,026
21850 standard
Pittsville, MD
Pop: 2,790

Related Areas

Wicomico County Parsonsburg, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21849 in? ▼
ZIP code 21849 (Parsonsburg) 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 21849? ▼
ZIP code 21849 in Parsonsburg, MD has a population of 3,238 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21849? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21849 is $71,211, which is 7% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21849? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21849 is $249,200, which is 10% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21849? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21849 is White at 91.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21849? ▼
ZIP code 21849 has 49 business establishments employing approximately 241 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21849? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21849 are: Construction (23), Transportation and warehousing (6), Retail trade (5). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21849? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21849 increased by 4.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 155%. 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 21849? ▼
In ZIP code 21849, 63.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 21849? ▼
In ZIP code 21849, approximately 76.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21849? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21849 is 7.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for Parsonsburg, MD

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

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.