21842 Zip Code Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for the zip code 21842, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

21842 is a zip code in Worcester County, Maryland, which covers District 3, Sinepuxent, District 7, and Ocean City, with a total population of 10,960 people.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in the 21842 zip code. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in 21842.

The estimated population of people living in 21842 is 10,960, with a median age of 53.5.

We can look back at data from previous years to see how the population in the 21842 area has changed over the last 5 years.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
10,960
+4.13%
+2.46%
2020
10,525
 -1.22% -
2019
10,655
 -0.13% -
2018
10,669
 -0.26% -
2017
10,697
 - -

Population of 21842 by Race and Ethnicity

How much has the race and ethnicity of the population in the 21842 zip code changed? The US Census Bureau gives us a few defined types that the population is broken down into.

Let's look at the total numbers and also the change over the last 5 years.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
89.2%
90.9%
 -1.87%
Black/African American
2.9%
2.4%
 +20.83%
Native
0.2%
0.6%
 -66.67%
Hispanic
4.9%
4%
 +22.50%
Asian
0.5%
0.5%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.8%
1.6%
 +12.50%
Other
0.5%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for anybody studying the 21842 zip for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of 21842 by Age and Gender

We can also monitor the change of the age and gender in the 21842 zip code to track track trends in the population over time.

We can see how the population in 21842 has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 53.5 +1.52% 51.8 +3.19% 54.4 +0.93%
2020 52.7 +0.57% 50.2 +1.62% 53.9 -2.88%
2019 52.4 -1.32% 49.4 -2.56% 55.5 +0.18%
2018 53.1 -0.19% 50.7 -1.36% 55.4 +0.54%
2017 53.2 - 51.4 - 55.1 -

The median age of the 21842 zip gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population in the 21842 area, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 308 -2.13% 243 +62.03% 245 395
10 to 19 461 +29.39% 301 1.66% 604 279
20 to 29 736 3.91% 521 +49.96% 719 815
30 to 39 553 -26.16% 517 -20.49% 415 413
40 to 49 629 -7.19% 539 1.6% 543 536
50 to 59 1,023 -30.4% 890 -2.44% 738 859
60 to 69 866 +5.08% 852 +35.17% 909 1,190
70+ 1,085 +2.27% 1,173 +3.63% 1,102 1,198

Median Household Income

The latest median household income for the 21842 zip code is $63,630.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less.

The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for 21842.

  • Under 25
    $32,381.00
  • 25 to 44
    $63,871.00
  • 45 to 64
    $81,625.00
  • 65 and over
    $56,122.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in the 21842 zip code, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in 21842, and then dividing that number by the total number of households.

This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of 21842 is currently $110,520.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

11.82% of households in 21842 are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of 21842 against other zip codes.

  • Less than $24,999
    16.59%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    23.88%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    16.66%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.24%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    13.35%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    5.46%
  • $200,000 or more
    11.82%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in 21842 is $56,593.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of 21842 by the total population of 21842.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people living in the 21842 area, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in 21842 to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    19.16%
  • Bachelor's degree
    32.56%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    11.44%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    36.26%
  • Less than high school diploma
    0.58%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in 21842 that are over the age of 16.

Currently, the total population of the 21842 zip over the age of 16 is 9,810.

Of those people, a total of 61.50% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in 21842 is 56.70%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate. Here's how that breaks down for the 21842 zip code.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 373 25.20% 9.60%
20 to 24 years 748 86.00% 4.40%
25 to 29 years 786 88.20% 4.10%
30 to 34 years 415 97.60% 6.70%
35 to 44 years 945 88.00% 10.00%
45 to 54 years 1,277 86.90% 5.40%
55 to 59 years 867 79.40% 18.30%
60 to 64 years 947 68.40% 1.40%
65 to 74 years 2,213 33.90% 7.60%
75 years and over 1,239 13.60% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in 21842. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau (which we mentioned earlier in this article).

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 9,296 60.80% 7.30%
Black or African American 247 74.10% 7.70%
American Indian and Alaska Native 20 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 54 87.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 49 85.70% 0.00%
Two or more races 144 73.60% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 339 71.10% 7.10%
Not Hispanic or Latino 9,066 60.50% 7.20%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations for people living in the 21842 area as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in 21842 is 5,559, with median earnings of $35,276.00.

Women in 21842 are earning approximately 75.10% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 5,559 $35,276.00
Male 2,791 $42,468.00
Female 2,768 $31,891.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings for 21842 even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 727 $72,321.00
Business and Financial 437 $90,208.00
Computer and Mathematical 81 $128,427.00
Architecture and Engineering 10 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 27 $16,688.00
Community and Social Service 48 $42,143.00
Legal 52 $42,000.00
Educational and Library 173 $46,250.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 161 $16,203.00
Healthcare Practitioners 377 $58,244.00
Healthcare Support 53 $26,938.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 109 $63,750.00
Law Enforcement 76 $58,707.00
Food Preparation and Serving 918 $20,160.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 238 $23,399.00
Personal Care and Service 163 $12,305.00
Sales 586 $46,829.00
Office and Administrative Support 550 $30,779.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 17 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 299 $37,799.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 181 $52,593.00
Production 56 $9,167.00
Transportation and Material Moving 77 $45,469.00

Occupations by Gender

Now we can also look at the occupations by category for 21842 when it is broken down by male and female.

This lets us see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings for 21842.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 371 $58,914.00 356 $83,375.00
Business and Financial 290 $91,000.00 147 $53,009.00
Computer and Mathematical 32 $193,889.00 49 $128,024.00
Architecture and Engineering 10 $0.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00 27 $16,688.00
Community and Social Service 0 $0.00 48 $42,143.00
Legal 38 $40,250.00 14 $0.00
Educational and Library 35 $65,114.00 138 $46,111.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 61 $77,540.00 100 $16,188.00
Healthcare Practitioners 65 $58,281.00 312 $58,194.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 53 $26,938.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 100 $143,750.00 9 $0.00
Law Enforcement 76 $58,707.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 459 $19,825.00 459 $20,644.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 149 $24,063.00 89 $17,054.00
Personal Care and Service 12 $4,167.00 151 $21,750.00
Sales 351 $42,829.00 235 $66,348.00
Office and Administrative Support 42 $46,944.00 508 $30,676.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 17 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 299 $37,799.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 181 $52,593.00 0 $0.00
Production 31 $6,761.00 25 $31,406.00
Transportation and Material Moving 77 $45,469.00 0 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household is defined by the US Census Bureau as a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 5,498 households in 21842, with an average household size of 1.98 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 2,817 families living in the 21842 zip code with an average family size of 2.67 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each, that live in 21842:

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 2,211 147 459 2,681
Average Household Size 2.59 3.8 2.96 1.2
Total Families 2,211 147 459 0
Average Household Size 2.58 3.42 2.81 0

Poverty

Of the 2,817 families living in 21842, 3.10% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in 21842:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 32,720 housing units in 21842.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 5,498 16.80%
Vacant 27,222 83.20%

3.48% of the total 32,720 housing units in 21842 are rental units. This is approximately 1,138 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 4,084 are occupied by the owner - or 12.48% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in 21842 is $1,124.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in 21842 that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    276
  • Less than $500
    0
  • $500 to $999
    433
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    475
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    192
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    9
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    29
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in 21842 is $338,200.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in 21842 that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    61
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    72
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    238
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    361
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    960
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    1,300
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    1,010
  • $1,000,000 or more
    82

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in 21842. The chart below shows the number of properties in 21842 that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    476
  • 1940 to 1949
    399
  • 1950 to 1959
    660
  • 1960 to 1969
    1,916
  • 1970 to 1979
    10,133
  • 1980 to 1989
    11,474
  • 1990 to 1999
    2,258
  • 2000 to 2009
    4,744
  • 2010 to 2013
    660
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in 21842 that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    434
  • 1 vehicle available
    2,222
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,225
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    617

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in 21842 get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in 21842 that commute to work in a particular way.

19.7 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in 21842.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    349
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,093
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    944
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    925
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    546
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    250
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    192
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    60
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    134
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    245
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    207
  • 90 or more minutes
    94

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for 21842 in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

States in 21842

If you want to see how the population and demographics of 21842 compare to other zip codes in Maryland, check out the list of all Maryland zip codes below: