ZIP Code 21502: Population, Income, Housing

State: MD

Total population: 41,015 Household income: $60,725 Rent: $773

Overview

Total population

41,015

Rent

$773

Year built

1957

Household income

$60,725

Per capita income

$31,252

Poverty rate

16.2%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.2 persons

Rent over 30% of income

40%

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

Allegany County

City

Cumberland

Total population

41,015

Adults over 25

30,100

Total households

16,268

Household size

2.2 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

$60,725

Per capita income

$31,252

Poverty rate

16.2%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

40%

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

$773

Year built

1957

Households that rent

28%

Households that own

72%

Rooms per home (all homes)

6.0

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

82.9%

Black

9.2%

Asian

0.9%

Two or more races

5.9%

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).

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

13,785 (89.8%)

Commute time to work

20 mins

Work from home

1,564 (10.2%)

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

28.1%

High school graduate or GED

40%

Some college or associate degree

12%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

19.9%

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).

Comparison of ZIP Code 21502 with: Allegany County, MD Maryland United States

ZIP 21502

Total population41,015

Rent$773

Year built1957

Household income$60,725

Per capita income$31,252

Poverty rate16.2%

Unemployment rateN/A

Allegany County, MD

Total population67,452

Rent$805

Year built1959

Household income$59,603

Per capita income$31,210

Poverty rate16.9%

Unemployment rate4%

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	ZIP21502	CountyAllegany, MD	StateMaryland	CountryUnited States
Total population	41,015	67,452	6,206,011	334,922,499
Rent	$773	$805	$1,705	$1,413
Year built	1957	1959	1979	1980
Household income	$60,725	$59,603	$103,678	$80,734
Per capita income	$31,252	$31,210	$52,979	$44,673
Poverty rate	16.2%	16.9%	9.4%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	4%	3%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 21502

Rent & Income

In 21502, the typical monthly rent is $773 and the typical household income is $60,725. Rent here is lower than Maryland, and household income is lower than Maryland. The estimated poverty rate is 16.2%.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 28% of households. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Only about 19.9% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher, indicating lower levels of formal education.

ZIP 21502 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 21502 — Poverty

How ZIP 21502 compares in Maryland (86 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$773	1 / 86	from lower rent	$773 – $3,501
Household income	$60,725	82 / 86	from higher income	$38,409 – $250,001
Poverty rate	16.2%	76 / 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 21502

Rent

Looking at rent levels, ZIP Code 21502 places 1st 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 82nd 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 21502 comes 76th 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 21502 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $773 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 21502

Annual Household Income: $60,725

💡 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 21502

Estimated Rate: 16.2%

💡 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 21502

In ZIP Code 21502, households that rent: 4,561 (28%)

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

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	4,561	28%
Owner-Occupied	11,707	72%

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 21502

In ZIP Code 21502, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 1,824 (40%)

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

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	1,824	40%
Other renter households	2,737	60%
Total renter households	4,561	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 21502

Less than High School: 8,467 people (28.1%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 12,027 people (40%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 3,604 people (12%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 6,002 people (19.9%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 30,100

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.