Population 11,150 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 21842
Household size in ZIP 21842
| Period | ZIP 21842 | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.15 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.31 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.12 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.04 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 21842 are small: just 2.04 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.15 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only six of the 240 Maryland ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in ZIP 21842
| Period | ZIP 21842 | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.9 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 52.1 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.6 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.6 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −3.3 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
ZIP 21842 skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.6, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 51.9, even as the national median rose. Of the 240 Maryland ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only six are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in ZIP 21842
| Period | ZIP 21842 | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.1% of households in ZIP 21842, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in ZIP 21842
Renters in ZIP 21842
| Period | ZIP 21842 | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.0% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.3% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.8% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.8% of households in ZIP 21842 rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. More than four in ten owners (44.5%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the north. The renter share has risen 4.8 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in ZIP 21842
| Period | ZIP 21842 | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 63.9% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 64.4% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 65.9% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 60.3% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in ZIP 21842: 60.3% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. No other Maryland ZIP code with 5,000+ people has a higher vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in ZIP 21842
| Period | ZIP 21842 | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1986 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in ZIP 21842 is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1988, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1984 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in ZIP 21842
| Period | ZIP 21842 | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,001 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,080 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,183 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,432 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$431 | +$620 | +$606 |
A typical rental in ZIP 21842 costs $1,432 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $431 a month since 2006–10, up 43%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 34.5% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the west.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in ZIP 21842
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 21842
| Period | ZIP 21842 | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.0% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.8% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.8% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.2% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.2 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in ZIP 21842 (41.2%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 10.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the west.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in ZIP 21842
| Period | ZIP 21842 | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.7% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.4% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.8% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in ZIP 21842: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.6 points, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in ZIP 21842
| Period | ZIP 21842 | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in ZIP 21842: 7.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only 23 of the 240 Maryland ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
ZIP 21842 compared with nearby ZIP codes
| ZIP code | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 21842 | 2.04 | 48.6 | 7.1% | 23.8% | 60.3% | 1988 | $1,432 | 41.2% | 94.3% | 7.4% |
| ZIP 21811 | 2.29 | 53.6 | 10.5% | 16.9% | 26.8% | 1992 | $1,615 | 40.7% | 94.3% | 5.8% |
| ZIP 19944 | 2.13 | 69.1 | 0.4% | 8.8% | 80.3% | 1986 | $1,386 | 56.2% | 87.9% | 3.2% |
| ZIP 21813 | 2.35 | 51.9 | 5.1% | 18.1% | 15.4% | 1992 | $1,151 | 26.5% | 93.5% | 4.3% |
| ZIP 19975 | 2.22 | 58.0 | 6.3% | 10.6% | 31.1% | 2000 | $1,127 | 36.7% | 91.3% | 5.6% |
| ZIP 21862 | 2.29 | 47.0 | 4.8% | 4.7% | 16.1% | 1991 | $1,125 | 35.4% | 87.6% | 0.0% |
| ZIP 21872 | 2.22 | 49.1 | 5.6% | 13.9% | 22.0% | 1991 | $1,125 | 36.4% | 87.6% | 0.6% |
| ZIP 21841 | 2.18 | 50.1 | 7.8% | 23.7% | 12.5% | 1983 | $1,652 | 16.0% | 96.4% | 3.9% |
| ZIP 21874 | 2.62 | 43.8 | 19.1% | 16.8% | 9.6% | 1985 | $1,383 | 21.4% | 89.4% | 7.5% |
| ZIP 21850 | 2.35 | 43.9 | 16.6% | 10.6% | 8.3% | 1995 | $1,106 | 16.1% | 89.8% | 3.5% |
| ZIP 21849 | 2.50 | 39.5 | 14.3% | 20.5% | 6.6% | 1978 | $1,368 | 23.8% | 90.6% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 70544, LA · 76537, TX · 72086, AR · 15963, PA · 71635, AR · 18252, PA · 18657, PA · 71351, LA · 21787, MD · 02347, MA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up ZIP 21842. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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