PlainZIP

Perryville, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21903

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

5,687
181/sq mi
$78,962
Median income
$299,300
Median home value
20.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 39%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 34%
home value, US ZIPs
181
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21903 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21903 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Perryville, Cecil County, Maryland, home to 5,687 residents across 31.4 square miles, a density of 181 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21903 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $78,962 (31% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $38,893. Poverty here runs at 10.6%, with unemployment measured at 5.9%. Housing costs here run $299,300 for a typical home value (33% below the state average), with rent averaging $916 a month; 74.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.1, and the average commute is 27 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 9 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 21903, plus 6 more within Cecil County, give a clearer read than the national average 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 21903

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Perryville, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21903.

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 21903, Perryville, 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

5,687

Population

31.4

Area (sq mi)

181

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 21903?

43.1

Median Age

46.0%

Male

54.0%

Female

1.6%

Foreign-Born

White 78.1%
African American 12.3%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.8%

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?

$78,962

Median Household Income

-31% vs state

$38,893

Per Capita Income

10.6%

Poverty Rate

5.9%

Unemployment Rate

27.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21903 ranks nationally

Perryville, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$78,962 Top 39% higher than 61% 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 56.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.1%

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

What does housing look like?

2,421

Total Housing Units

2,383

Occupied Units

38

Vacant Units

2.36

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.9%
Renter 25.1%

$299,300

Median Home Value

-33% vs state

$916

Median Rent

1981

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

+13.0%

YoY Change (2024)

243

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+143%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21903 have increased 13.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +143% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +11.7% 172
2021 +10.1% 189
2022 +11.7% 211
2023 +1.6% 215
2024 +13.0% 243

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 103 business establishments in ZIP 21903, employing approximately 2,377 people with a combined annual payroll of $115,615,000.

103

Businesses

2,377

Employees

$115.6M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 17 16.5%
Other services (except public administration) 13 12.6%
Retail trade 11 10.7%
Transportation and warehousing 11 10.7%
Health care and social assistance 11 10.7%
Construction 9 8.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 7 6.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 5 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 4.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 3.9%
Educational services 3 2.9%

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 21903 vs 21902 →

ZIP 21903 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 21903 ranks #5 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 21903 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 21903 ranks #8 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
21902 Perry Point, MD 471 1.9 mi
21914 Charlestown, MD 765 3.1 mi
21904 Port Deposit, MD 7,252 4.0 mi
21901 North East, MD 15,875 4.4 mi
21078 Havre De Grace, MD 17,603 5.8 mi
21911 Rising Sun, MD 11,004 8.0 mi
21917 Colora, MD 2,520 7.5 mi
21005 Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 2,112 8.0 mi
21918 Conowingo, MD 4,284 10.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cecil County

21921 standard
Elkton, MD
Pop: 44,471
21901 standard
North East, MD
Pop: 15,875
21911 standard
Rising Sun, MD
Pop: 11,004
21904 standard
Port Deposit, MD
Pop: 7,252
21918 standard
Conowingo, MD
Pop: 4,284
21919 standard
Earleville, MD
Pop: 3,467

Related Areas

Cecil County Perryville, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21903 in? ▼
ZIP code 21903 (Perryville) 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 21903? ▼
ZIP code 21903 in Perryville, MD has a population of 5,687 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21903? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21903 is $78,962, which is 4% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21903? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21903 is $299,300, which is 8% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21903? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21903 is White at 78.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21903? ▼
ZIP code 21903 has 103 business establishments employing approximately 2,377 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21903? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21903 are: Accommodation and food services (17), Other services (except public administration) (13), Retail trade (11). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21903? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21903 increased by 13.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 143%. 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 21903? ▼
In ZIP code 21903, 56.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.1% 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 21903? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21903 is 27.3 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 21903? ▼
In ZIP code 21903, approximately 74.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21903? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21903 is 10.6% 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.