PlainZIP

North East, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21901

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

15,875
125/sq mi
$113,719
Median income
$367,400
Median home value
36.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

North East pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 12%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 24%
home value, US ZIPs
125
people per sq mi
73%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21901 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21901 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in North East, Cecil County, Maryland, home to 15,875 residents across 127.4 square miles, a density of 125 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21901 skews affluent, with a median household income of $113,719 (0% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $48,933. The poverty rate stands at 9.6% and the unemployment rate at 6.6%. Housing costs here run $367,400 for a typical home value (18% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,465 a month; 73.1% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 36.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.3, and the average commute is 28 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Cecil County, letting you compare 21901 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 21901

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in North East, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21901.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 21901, North East, 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

15,875

Population

127.4

Area (sq mi)

125

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 21901?

38.3

Median Age

50.1%

Male

49.9%

Female

1.9%

Foreign-Born

White 83.1%
African American 8.3%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.8%

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?

$113,719

Median Household Income

-0% vs state

$48,933

Per Capita Income

9.6%

Poverty Rate

6.6%

Unemployment Rate

27.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21901 ranks nationally

North East, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$113,719 Top 12% higher than 88% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $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 63.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 36.3%

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

What does housing look like?

8,206

Total Housing Units

7,510

Occupied Units

696

Vacant Units

2.59

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 73.1%
Renter 26.9%

$367,400

Median Home Value

-18% vs state

$1,465

Median Rent

1996

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

+7.4%

YoY Change (2024)

246

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+146%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21901 have increased 7.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +146% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.6% 170
2021 +10.5% 188
2022 +12.4% 212
2023 +8.3% 229
2024 +7.4% 246

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 321 business establishments in ZIP 21901, employing approximately 6,453 people with a combined annual payroll of $293,436,000.

321

Businesses

6,453

Employees

$293.4M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 53 16.5%
Other services (except public administration) 39 12.2%
Accommodation and food services 35 10.9%
Health care and social assistance 28 8.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 24 7.5%
Transportation and warehousing 21 6.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 21 6.5%
Wholesale trade 19 5.9%
Construction 17 5.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 17 5.3%
Manufacturing 12 3.7%
Finance and insurance 11 3.4%
Information 8 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 8 2.5%
Educational services 5 1.6%

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 21901 vs 21914 →

ZIP 21901 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 21901 ranks #2 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 21901 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 21901 ranks #2 of 9 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
21914 Charlestown, MD 765 1.5 mi
21903 Perryville, MD 5,687 4.4 mi
21902 Perry Point, MD 471 6.1 mi
21921 Elkton, MD 44,471 6.0 mi
21916 Childs, MD 37 6.4 mi
21904 Port Deposit, MD 7,252 6.9 mi
21911 Rising Sun, MD 11,004 8.3 mi
21915 Chesapeake City, MD 3,030 8.5 mi
21920 Elk Mills, MD 257 8.5 mi
21917 Colora, MD 2,520 9.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cecil County

21921 standard
Elkton, MD
Pop: 44,471
21911 standard
Rising Sun, MD
Pop: 11,004
21904 standard
Port Deposit, MD
Pop: 7,252
21903 standard
Perryville, MD
Pop: 5,687
21918 standard
Conowingo, MD
Pop: 4,284
21919 standard
Earleville, MD
Pop: 3,467

Related Areas

Cecil County North East, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21901 in? ▼
ZIP code 21901 (North East) is located in Cecil County, Maryland. Cecil County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cecil-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 21901? ▼
ZIP code 21901 in North East, MD has a population of 15,875 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21901? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21901 is $113,719, which is 49% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21901? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21901 is $367,400, which is 32% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21901? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21901 is White at 83.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21901? ▼
ZIP code 21901 has 321 business establishments employing approximately 6,453 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21901? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21901 are: Retail trade (53), Other services (except public administration) (39), Accommodation and food services (35). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21901? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21901 increased by 7.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 146%. 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 21901? ▼
In ZIP code 21901, 63.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 36.3% 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 21901? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21901 is 27.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 21901? ▼
In ZIP code 21901, approximately 73.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21901? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21901 is 9.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

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