Elkton, MD · standard
ZIP Code 21921
Cecil County, Maryland — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 44,471
- 182/sq mi
- $85,775
- Median income
- $330,400
- Median home value
- 28.8%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Elkton pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 31%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 29%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 182
- people per sq mi
- 70%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21921 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 21921 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 245.0 square miles in Elkton, Cecil County, Maryland. The area is home to 44,471 residents, producing a population density of 182 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 21921 against Maryland and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 21921 sits at $85,775 (25% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $40,249. The poverty rate stands at 13.6% and the unemployment rate at 4.5%. On housing, the median home value is $330,400 (26% below the state average) with median rent at $1,421 per month, and 69.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 21921 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 28.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.4, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Cecil County, so you can benchmark 21921 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 21921
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21921.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
128 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
104 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
101 establishments
- Construction
Construction
79 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
72 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 21921, Elkton, 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
44,471
Population
245.0
Area (sq mi)
182
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 21921?
39.4
Median Age
49.1%
Male
50.9%
Female
5.5%
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?
$85,775
Median Household Income
-25% vs state
$40,249
Per Capita Income
13.6%
Poverty Rate
4.5%
Unemployment Rate
26.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 21921 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$85,775 Top 31% higher than 69% 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?
18,475
Total Housing Units
17,316
Occupied Units
1,159
Vacant Units
2.57
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$330,400
Median Home Value
-26% vs state
$1,421
Median Rent
1986
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
+6.4%
YoY Change (2024)
229
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+129%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 21921 have increased 6.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +129% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.0% | 165 |
| 2021 | +10.5% | 182 |
| 2022 | +12.3% | 205 |
| 2023 | +5.2% | 215 |
| 2024 | +6.4% | 229 |
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 802 business establishments in ZIP 21921, employing approximately 15,064 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,021,905,000.
802
Businesses
15,064
Employees
$1.0B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 128 | 16.0% |
| Retail trade | 104 | 13.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 101 | 12.6% |
| Construction | 79 | 9.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 72 | 9.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 67 | 8.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 42 | 5.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 42 | 5.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 37 | 4.6% |
| Manufacturing | 32 | 4.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 29 | 3.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 28 | 3.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 19 | 2.4% |
| Educational services | 12 | 1.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 4 | 0.5% |
| Information | 4 | 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 21921 vs 21916 →
ZIP 21921 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 19702
Newark (19702)
51,899 residents
- 21921
Elkton (21921)
44,471 residents
- 19713
Newark (19713)
30,408 residents
- 21901 15,875
North East (21901)
15,875 residents
- 19350 10,921
Landenberg (19350)
10,921 residents
- 19717 3,770
Newark (19717)
3,770 residents
- 21915 3,030
Chesapeake City (21915)
3,030 residents
- 19716 1,568
Newark (19716)
1,568 residents
- 21914 765
Charlestown (21914)
765 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21921 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21921 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 19350
Landenberg (19350)
$144,375 median income
- 21920
Elk Mills (21920)
$124,146 median income
- 21901
North East (21901)
$113,719 median income
- 21915
Chesapeake City (21915)
$95,875 median income
- 19702
Newark (19702)
$92,446 median income
- 21921
Elkton (21921)
$85,775 median income
- 19713
Newark (19713)
$76,493 median income
- 21914
Charlestown (21914)
$66,806 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 21921 ranks #6 of 8 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21916 | Childs, MD | 37 | 1.0 mi |
| 21920 | Elk Mills, MD | 257 | 2.7 mi |
| 19702 | Newark, DE | 51,899 | 7.0 mi |
| 21901 | North East, MD | 15,875 | 6.0 mi |
| 21915 | Chesapeake City, MD | 3,030 | 8.8 mi |
| 19717 | Newark, DE | 3,770 | 6.7 mi |
| 19716 | Newark, DE | 1,568 | 6.9 mi |
| 21914 | Charlestown, MD | 765 | 7.5 mi |
| 19713 | Newark, DE | 30,408 | 8.4 mi |
| 19350 | Landenberg, PA | 10,921 | 10.1 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Cecil County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 21921 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 21921? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 21921? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 21921? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21921? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21921? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21921? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21921? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 21921? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 21921? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 21921? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21921? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Elkton, 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.