ZIP Code 21217: Population, Income, Housing

State: MD

Total population: 30,792 Household income: $38,409 Rent: $1,119

Overview

Total population

30,792

Rent

$1,119

Year built

1938

Household income

$38,409

Per capita income

$32,026

Poverty rate

31.6%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

1.9 persons

Rent over 30% of income

51.8%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State

Maryland

County

City of Baltimore

City

Baltimore

Total population

30,792

Adults over 25

21,366

Total households

15,332

Household size

1.9 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$38,409

Per capita income

$32,026

Poverty rate

31.6%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

51.8%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Housing

Rent

$1,119

Year built

1938

Households that rent

70%

Households that own

30%

Rooms per home (all homes)

4.7

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Race

White

12.2%

Black

80.8%

Asian

2.4%

Two or more races

3.8%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

2.4%

Not Hispanic or Latino

97.6%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Commute

Commute rate

10,361 (85.1%)

Commute time to work

33 mins

Work from home

1,807 (14.9%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Education

Less than high school

33.5%

High school graduate or GED

32.8%

Some college or associate degree

10.4%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

23.4%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Comparison of ZIP Code 21217 with: Baltimore, MD Baltimore metro area, MD Maryland United States

ZIP 21217

Total population30,792

Rent$1,119

Year built1938

Household income$38,409

Per capita income$32,026

Poverty rate31.6%

Unemployment rateN/A

Baltimore, MD

Total population573,243

Rent$1,331

Year built1947

Household income$62,177

Per capita income$40,604

Poverty rate19.7%

Unemployment rate3.8%

Baltimore Metro Area, MD

Total population2,849,436

Rent$1,611

Year built1976

Household income$99,470

Per capita income$52,391

Poverty rate9.8%

Unemployment rate3.1%

Maryland State

Total population6,206,011

Rent$1,705

Year built1979

Household income$103,678

Per capita income$52,979

Poverty rate9.4%

Unemployment rate3%

United States

Total population334,922,499

Rent$1,413

Year built1980

Household income$80,734

Per capita income$44,673

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate4%

Metric	ZIP21217	CityBaltimore, MD	Metro AreaBaltimore metro area, MD	StateMaryland	CountryUnited States
Total population	30,792	573,243	2,849,436	6,206,011	334,922,499
Rent	$1,119	$1,331	$1,611	$1,705	$1,413
Year built	1938	1947	1976	1979	1980
Household income	$38,409	$62,177	$99,470	$103,678	$80,734
Per capita income	$32,026	$40,604	$52,391	$52,979	$44,673
Poverty rate	31.6%	19.7%	9.8%	9.4%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	3.8%	3.1%	3%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 21217

Rent & Income

In 21217, the typical monthly rent is $1,119 and the typical household income is $38,409. Rent here is lower than in both Baltimore and Maryland, and household income is also lower than in both. The estimated poverty rate is 31.6%, which is higher than in both Baltimore and Maryland.

Housing & Affordability

Most households in this area are renters (70%), making this a heavily renter area. About 51.8% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 23.4% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 21217 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 21217 — Poverty

How ZIP 21217 compares in Maryland (86 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,119	4 / 86	from lower rent	$773 – $3,501
Household income	$38,409	86 / 86	from higher income	$38,409 – $250,001
Poverty rate	31.6%	86 / 86	from lower poverty	2.6% – 31.6%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in Maryland with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 21217

Rent

Looking at rent levels, ZIP Code 21217 places 4th out of 86 ZIP Codes in Maryland. Throughout Maryland, numbers span from $773 in ZIP 21502 up to $3,501 in ZIP 20854.

Household income

In terms of earnings, this ZIP comes 86th out of 86 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from $38,409 in ZIP 21217 up to $250,001 in ZIP 20854.

Poverty rate

In terms of poverty rate, ZIP Code 21217 comes 86th out of 86 ZIP Codes. In Maryland as a whole, the range goes from 2.6% in ZIP 20854 up to 31.6% in ZIP 21217.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 21217 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,119 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 21217

Annual Household Income: $38,409

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 21217

Estimated Rate: 31.6%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 21217

In ZIP Code 21217, households that rent: 10,729 (70%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	10,729	70%
Owner-Occupied	4,603	30%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 21217

In ZIP Code 21217, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 5,562 (51.8%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	5,562	51.8%
Other renter households	5,167	48.2%
Total renter households	10,729	100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 21217

Less than High School: 7,153 people (33.5%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 6,998 people (32.8%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 2,223 people (10.4%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 4,992 people (23.4%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 21,366

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.