21521 ZIP Code — Barton, MD

Allegany County, Maryland

ZIP code 21521 is located in Barton, Maryland, within Allegany County. It covers approximately 23.82 square miles and serves a population of 1,426 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 240/301.

About ZIP code 21521

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $128,500. Owner-occupancy is high at 88%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $59,792. 46% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 31 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 10% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (20%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 21521 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,426

population

23.82

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

21521 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 21521

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 21521. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Barton	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

21539 Lonaconing (3.3 mi) 21523 Bloomington (4.7 mi) 21562 Westernport (6.2 mi) 21540 Luke (6.4 mi) 26750 Piedmont (7.4 mi) 21532 Frostburg (7.8 mi) 21536 Grantsville (8.1 mi) 21557 Rawlings (8.4 mi) 21522 Bittinger (8.7 mi) 21561 Swanton (9 mi) 26726 Keyser (10.8 mi) 15562 Springs (12.5 mi)

Demographics updated 07/2026

Population
Total population	1,426
Population density	60 / sq mi
State FIPS	24
County FIPS	001

Geography
Land area	23.82 sq mi
Water area	0.02 sq mi
Latitude	39.5684
Longitude	-79.0591
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	240/301

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 07/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	62.0%	49.9%	28.2%
$50k – $100k	26.9%	33.2%	28.2%
$100k – $200k	11.0%	14.9%	30.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.0%	13.4%

Demographics & statistics

1,426

Population

People per sq mi

53.9

Median age

$59,792

Median household income

$36,240

Per capita income

$128,500

Median home value

$1,026

Median monthly rent

88.3%

Home ownership

8.3%

Poverty rate

11.7%

Unemployment

638

Housing units

9.9%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

118

45–54

128

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	203	14.2%
18 and over	1,223	85.8%
65 and over	399	28.0%
Median age	53.9 years

Race & ethnicity

White 99%

Hispanic or Latino 0.4%

Other race 0.4%

Two or more races 0.2%

Group	Count	%
White	1,417	99%
Hispanic or Latino	6	0.4%
Other race	6	0.4%
Two or more races	3	0.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	62.0%	49.9%	28.2%
$50k – $100k	26.9%	33.2%	28.2%
$100k – $200k	11.0%	14.9%	30.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.0%	13.4%

Under $10k 0.9%

$10k–$15k 1.4%

$15k–$25k 11.8%

$25k–$35k 9.6%

$35k–$50k 17.8%

$50k–$75k 18.5%

$75k–$100k 11.8%

$100k–$150k 23.3%

$150k–$200k 0.8%

$200k+ 3.9%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	0.9%
$10k–$15k	1.4%
$15k–$25k	11.8%
$25k–$35k	9.6%
$35k–$50k	17.8%
$50k–$75k	18.5%
$75k–$100k	11.8%
$100k–$150k	23.3%
$150k–$200k	0.8%
$200k+	3.9%
Median income	$59,792

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 12.9%

$50k–$100k 26.6%

$100k–$150k 19.3%

$150k–$200k 18.0%

$200k–$300k 11.4%

$300k–$500k 11.4%

$500k–$1M 0.4%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$128,500
Median rent / month	$1,026
Owner occupied	88.3%
Renter occupied	11.7%
Vacant	11.0%
Single-family detached	81.7%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	8.0%
Median rooms	6.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.30

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.8%
2000–2009	6.0%
1990–1999	16.0%
1980–1989	9.1%
1970–1979	11.7%
1960–1969	13.2%
1950–1959	8.7%
1940–1949	6.5%
1939 or earlier	27.9%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	4.8%
2 bedrooms	17.3%
3 bedrooms	56.7%
4 bedrooms	13.6%
5+ bedrooms	7.6%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.6%
1 vehicle	27.4%
2 vehicles	38.6%
3 or more	33.3%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	37.4%
Electricity	15.9%
Propane / LP gas	3.9%
Fuel oil	23.3%
Wood	15.1%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	369	58.2%
Cohabiting couple	36	5.7%
Male householder, no spouse	92	14.5%
Female householder, no spouse	137	21.6%
Households with children under 18	126	19.9%
Households with seniors (65+)	273	43.1%
Average household size	2.25

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	16.0%	20.9%
Married	67.8%	56.8%
Separated	1.4%	0.4%
Widowed	7.6%	11.2%
Divorced	7.3%	10.7%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.7%

Some HS, no diploma 8.4%

HS graduate 47.8%

Some college, no degree 17.2%

Associate's degree 16.1%

Bachelor's degree 1.5%

Graduate / professional 8.4%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	91.0%
Bachelor's or higher	9.9%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	8	4.8%
Kindergarten	2	1.2%
Elementary school	35	21.1%
High school	97	58.4%
College / grad school	24	14.5%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 24.4%

Manufacturing 20.4%

Transportation & utilities 13.4%

Arts, food & hospitality 9.2%

Professional & management 8.2%

Public administration 6.2%

Construction 6.0%

Retail trade 4.3%

Finance & real estate 3.7%

Other services 3.2%

Information 0.7%

Agriculture & mining 0.5%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	38.4%
Service	18.4%
Sales & office	12.5%
Natural resources & construction	12.2%
Production & transportation	18.5%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	83.5%
Government	10.7%
Self-employed	5.8%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	89.7%
Carpool	4.3%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.3%
Work from home	2.7%
Other means	3.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	31.3

Poverty

All people 8.3%

Under 18 years 13.8%

18 and over 7.4%

Married-couple families 3.8%

Female-led households 28.6%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	45.6%
Retirement income	44.8%
Supplemental Security	5.4%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	8.0%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	34.7%
High blood pressure	41.5%
High cholesterol	35.5%
Diabetes	12.6%
Heart disease	8.5%
Stroke	4.0%
Asthma	10.6%
Arthritis	32.9%
Kidney disease	3.6%
Pulmonary disease	9.7%
Cancer	8.1%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	20.3%
Binge drinking	13.9%
No physical activity	28.0%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	33.3%
Depression	23.9%
Fair or poor health	17.6%
Poor mental health	15.6%
Poor physical health	11.9%
No health insurance	11.4%
Visited doctor (checkup)	78.0%
Visited dentist	58.0%
Cholesterol screening	90.5%
Teeth loss	16.2%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	120	9.9%

Disability	%
Any disability	20.8%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	14.6%
65 and over	44.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	68.2%
Public insurance	47.0%
No insurance	6.6%
Uninsured under 19	10.7%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,370	96.1%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,420	99.6%
Born in same state	1,417	99.4%
Born in different state	1,112	78.0%
Foreign born	3	0.2%
Naturalized citizen	6	0.4%
Not a US citizen	6	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	401	28.1%
Italian	172	12.1%
Arab	135	9.5%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	20	1.4%
Polish	9	0.6%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	44.5%
Internet access	86.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 21521

What city is ZIP code 21521 in?

ZIP code 21521 is primarily assigned to Barton, Maryland.

What county is ZIP code 21521 in?

ZIP code 21521 falls within Allegany County, Maryland.

Does ZIP code 21521 have an older population?

28% of residents in ZIP code 21521 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 21521?

10% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Is ZIP code 21521 mostly owner-occupied?

88% of occupied units in ZIP code 21521 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 21521 have a large retiree population?

46% of households in ZIP code 21521 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What timezone is ZIP code 21521 in?

ZIP code 21521 observes the EST timezone.