Garrett County · Maryland
ZIP code 21538
- Population
- 605
- Median income
- $83,913
- Median home
- —
- Sales tax
- 6%
ZCTA residents
Household, past 12 months
Owner-occupied value
Maryland state rate
Quick answer
ZIP 21538 sits in Garrett County, Maryland and is home to 605 people. Median household income is $83,913, the median home is worth — and median gross rent is $760. 82.7% of households own their home, and purchases are taxed at 6% (Maryland state rate).
- County
- Garrett County
- State
- Maryland (MD)
- Area codes
- Not published
- Metro area
- Outside covered metros
FIPS 24023
477 ZIPs covered
No NANPA match for this ZIP
Rate jurisdiction used for tax
The numbers for 21538
American Community Survey 2019-2023 ACS 5-year estimates for this ZCTA.
- Population
- 605ZIP 21538 residents
- Median household income
- $83,913Past 12 months, inflation adjusted
- Median home value
- —Owner-occupied units
- Median gross rent
- $760Rent plus utilities, monthly
- Median age
- 37.5 yrsAll residents
- Homeownership rate
- 82.7%Owner-occupied households
Sales tax in 21538
What a purchase inside this ZIP costs at checkout.
Maryland levies 6% statewide with no local add-ons. Check the county page for the local component before you quote a price.
Affordability in this ZIP
Derived from the Census medians above — indicative, not an offer.
A rent burden above 30% is the federal threshold for cost-burdened households, and a price-to-income multiple above 4× is generally considered a stretched housing market. The mortgage figure is principal and interest only — taxes, insurance and HOA dues are extra.
How 21538 compares
ZIP 21538 against the median ZIP in Garrett County and across Maryland.
| Measure | ZIP 21538 | County median | State median | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $83,913 | $65,347 | $104,338 | -20% |
| Median home value | — | $186,150 | $401,000 | — |
| Median gross rent | $760 | $691 | $1,600 | -52% |
| Population | 605 | 2,327 | 4,995 | -88% |
Medians are computed across the 11 ZIP areas in Garrett County and the 477 ZIP areas in Maryland.
Statewide rank
Where this ZIP places among all 477 Maryland ZIP areas.
- Income
- #301
- Home value
- —
- Population
- #381
richer than 30% of 428 state ZIPs
Not published
larger than 20% of 477 state ZIPs
Comparable ZIP codes
Maryland ZIP areas with almost the same household income.
| ZIP | County | Income | Home value | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20770 | Prince George's County | $84,125 | $249,400 | $1,823 |
| 20785 | Prince George's County | $83,690 | $346,000 | $1,764 |
| 21227 | Baltimore County | $83,620 | $272,400 | $1,347 |
| 20737 | Prince George's County | $84,241 | $370,300 | $1,619 |
| 21133 | Baltimore County | $84,248 | $302,000 | $1,518 |
| 21795 | Washington County | $83,542 | $275,500 | $1,190 |
Nearby ZIP codes
Other ZIP codes filed under Garrett County.
ZIP 21538 questions
Common questions about this ZIP code.
- Where is ZIP code 21538?
- ZIP 21538 lies mostly in Garrett County, Maryland. County assignment follows the largest share of land area, so a ZIP straddling a county line is filed under its dominant county.
- What sales tax do I pay in 21538?
- Maryland charges 6% statewide.
- Is 21538 expensive to live in?
- Median rent runs $760 a month, about 11% of median household income, and the median home is worth — — — against the typical Maryland ZIP.
- Is a ZCTA the same as a postal ZIP code?
- Not exactly. The Census builds ZIP Code Tabulation Areas from the ZIP codes of addresses inside each census block, so a ZCTA can differ slightly from the USPS delivery route of the same number, and PO-box-only ZIPs have no ZCTA at all.
Keep going
Related pages for this area.
Sources & transparency
- US Census Bureau, ACS 2019-2023 5-year estimates — 2019-2023 ACS 5-year — population, income, housing
- Census 2020 ZCTA-to-county relationship file — County assignment by largest land-area overlap
- Comptroller of Maryland — Sales tax rates and local add-ons
Last reviewed December 2024. Figures are published for reference and can change; verify with the source agency before filing or contracting. How we build and check this data.