Princess Anne, MD · standard
ZIP Code 21853
Somerset County, Maryland — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 11,126
- 36/sq mi
- $69,697
- Median income
- $208,300
- Median home value
- 27.5%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Princess Anne pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 46th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 46th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 36
- people per sq mi
- 65%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21853 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 21853 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 308.2 square miles in Princess Anne, Somerset County, Maryland. The area is home to 11,126 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 21853 against Maryland and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 21853 sits at $69,697 (39% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $29,913. The poverty rate stands at 20.7% and the unemployment rate at 5.3%. On housing, the median home value is $208,300 (53% below the state average) with median rent at $1,042 per month, and 64.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 21853 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 27.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.7, and the average commute is 21 minutes. We also surface 9 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Somerset County, so you can benchmark 21853 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 21853
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21853.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
32 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
23 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
17 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
15 establishments
- Construction
Construction
14 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 21853, Princess Anne, 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
11,126
Population
308.2
Area (sq mi)
36
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 21853?
33.7
Median Age
49.4%
Male
50.6%
Female
8.2%
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?
$69,697
Median Household Income
-39% vs state
$29,913
Per Capita Income
20.7%
Poverty Rate
5.3%
Unemployment Rate
20.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 21853 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$69,697 46th percentile higher than 46% 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?
4,806
Total Housing Units
3,599
Occupied Units
1,207
Vacant Units
2.50
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$208,300
Median Home Value
-53% vs state
$1,042
Median Rent
1994
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
+5.2%
YoY Change (2024)
224
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+124%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 21853 have increased 5.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +124% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -4.5% | 152 |
| 2021 | +12.0% | 170 |
| 2022 | +20.4% | 205 |
| 2023 | +3.7% | 213 |
| 2024 | +5.2% | 224 |
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 157 business establishments in ZIP 21853, employing approximately 1,513 people with a combined annual payroll of $60,913,000.
157
Businesses
1,513
Employees
$60.9M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 32 | 20.4% |
| Retail trade | 23 | 14.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 17 | 10.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 15 | 9.6% |
| Construction | 14 | 8.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 13 | 8.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 11 | 7.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 8 | 5.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 8 | 5.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 3.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 4 | 2.5% |
| Manufacturing | 4 | 2.5% |
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 21853 vs 21890 →
ZIP 21853 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21853
Princess Anne (21853)
11,126 residents
- 21826
Fruitland (21826)
4,837 residents
- 21890 3,240
Westover (21890)
3,240 residents
- 21871 2,124
Westover (21871)
2,124 residents
- 21822 1,930
Eden (21822)
1,930 residents
- 21856 1,035
Quantico (21856)
1,035 residents
- 21810 487
Allen (21810)
487 residents
- 21865 470
Tyaskin (21865)
470 residents
- 21867 114
Upper Fairmount (21867)
114 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21853 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21853 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21856
Quantico (21856)
$88,045 median income
- 21822
Eden (21822)
$84,479 median income
- 21865
Tyaskin (21865)
$83,155 median income
- 21853
Princess Anne (21853)
$69,697 median income
- 21826
Fruitland (21826)
$64,946 median income
- 21871
Westover (21871)
$50,524 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 21853 ranks #4 of 6 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21890 | Westover, MD | 3,240 | 3.2 mi |
| 21810 | Allen, MD | 487 | 6.6 mi |
| 21871 | Westover, MD | 2,124 | 6.9 mi |
| 21822 | Eden, MD | 1,930 | 6.5 mi |
| 21867 | Upper Fairmount, MD | 114 | 7.8 mi |
| 21826 | Fruitland, MD | 4,837 | 9.2 mi |
| 21865 | Tyaskin, MD | 470 | 8.9 mi |
| 21856 | Quantico, MD | 1,035 | 10.0 mi |
| 21802 | Salisbury, MD | 89 | 12.1 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Somerset County
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Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 21853 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 21853? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 21853? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 21853? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21853? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21853? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21853? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21853? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 21853? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 21853? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 21853? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21853? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Princess Anne, MD
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.