21840 ZIP Code — Nanticoke, MD

Wicomico County, Maryland

ZIP code 21840 is located in Nanticoke, Maryland, within Wicomico County. It covers approximately 5.27 square miles and serves a population of 541 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 410/443.

About ZIP code 21840

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 74%.

The dominant occupation class is sales and office, with construction as the leading industry. An above-average commute of 61 minutes suggests many residents work outside the immediate area.

College attainment at 17% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 25% of civilians, above the national average of 7%.

Overall, ZIP code 21840 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, a strong veteran community, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

541

population

5.27

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

21840 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 21840

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 21840. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Nanticoke	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

21814 Bivalve (2.6 mi) 21865 Tyaskin (3.6 mi) 21856 Quantico (6.7 mi) 21821 Deal Island (9.5 mi) 21869 Vienna (9.6 mi) 21853 Princess Anne (11 mi) 21626 Crapo (11.6 mi) 21890 Westover (12.2 mi) 21830 Hebron (12.8 mi) 21822 Eden (13.1 mi) 21871 Westover (14.6 mi) 21826 Fruitland (15.2 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	541
Population density	103 / sq mi
State FIPS	24
County FIPS	045

Geography
Land area	5.27 sq mi
Water area	6.01 sq mi
Latitude	38.2586
Longitude	-75.8914
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	410/443

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	14.6%	42.5%	28.2%
$50k – $100k	48.4%	31.8%	28.2%
$100k – $200k	23.6%	21.8%	30.1%
Over $200k	13.4%	4.0%	13.4%

Demographics & statistics

541

Population

103

People per sq mi

46.9

Median age

Median household income

$62,583

Per capita income

Median home value

Median monthly rent

73.7%

Home ownership

0.0%

Poverty rate

16.0%

Unemployment

411

Housing units

17.2%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

65–74

75–84

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	127	23.5%
18 and over	414	76.5%
65 and over	166	30.7%
Median age	46.9 years

Race & ethnicity

White 73.6%

Two or more races 22.9%

Black or African American 3.5%

Group	Count	%
White	398	73.6%
Two or more races	124	22.9%
Black or African American	19	3.5%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	14.6%	42.5%	28.2%
$50k – $100k	48.4%	31.8%	28.2%
$100k – $200k	23.6%	21.8%	30.1%
Over $200k	13.4%	4.0%	13.4%

$15k–$25k 7.2%

$50k–$75k 27.3%

$75k–$100k 23.2%

$150k–$200k 8.2%

$200k+ 34.0%

Range	% of households
$15k–$25k	7.2%
$50k–$75k	27.3%
$75k–$100k	23.2%
$150k–$200k	8.2%
$200k+	34.0%
Median income	$0

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 37.1%

$100k–$150k 9.1%

$150k–$200k 30.8%

$200k–$300k 11.9%

$500k–$1M 11.2%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$0
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	73.7%
Renter occupied	26.3%
Vacant	58.0%
Single-family detached	100.0%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	0.0%
Median rooms	6.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.29

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.0%
2000–2009	3.7%
1990–1999	4.1%
1980–1989	14.1%
1970–1979	11.5%
1960–1969	22.1%
1950–1959	3.0%
1940–1949	0.0%
1939 or earlier	41.6%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	0.0%
2 bedrooms	3.5%
3 bedrooms	89.8%
4 bedrooms	6.7%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.0%
1 vehicle	9.8%
2 vehicles	52.6%
3 or more	37.6%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Electricity	40.2%
Propane / LP gas	27.3%
Fuel oil	17.0%
Wood	8.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	112	57.7%
Cohabiting couple	32	16.5%
Male householder, no spouse	14	7.2%
Female householder, no spouse	36	18.6%
Households with children under 18	32	16.5%
Households with seniors (65+)	136	70.1%
Average household size	2.79

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	17.4%	25.3%
Married	58.5%	46.5%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	17.4%	14.9%
Divorced	6.8%	13.3%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.0%

Some HS, no diploma 0.0%

HS graduate 48.1%

Some college, no degree 30.3%

Associate's degree 4.4%

Bachelor's degree 13.4%

Graduate / professional 3.8%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	100.0%
Bachelor's or higher	17.2%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	39	31.5%
Elementary school	0	0.0%
High school	34	27.4%
College / grad school	51	41.1%

Employment

Industry of employment

Construction 40.8%

Public administration 18.0%

Manufacturing 16.9%

Education & healthcare 13.1%

Professional & management 6.4%

Transportation & utilities 4.9%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	33.0%
Service	18.0%
Sales & office	37.8%
Natural resources & construction	0.0%
Production & transportation	11.2%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	77.2%
Government	22.8%
Self-employed	0.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	88.8%
Carpool	11.2%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	0.0%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	60.9

Poverty

All people 0.0%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 0.0%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	42.8%
Retirement income	52.1%
Supplemental Security	16.5%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	16.5%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	34.8%
High blood pressure	43.0%
High cholesterol	40.2%
Diabetes	12.4%
Heart disease	7.7%
Stroke	3.6%
Asthma	9.6%
Arthritis	31.2%
Kidney disease	3.3%
Pulmonary disease	7.1%
Cancer	8.9%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	14.2%
Binge drinking	14.1%
No physical activity	20.9%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	31.7%
Depression	17.6%
Fair or poor health	12.9%
Poor mental health	12.2%
Poor physical health	9.3%
No health insurance	9.5%
Visited doctor (checkup)	80.9%
Visited dentist	64.7%
Cholesterol screening	94.9%
Teeth loss	10.9%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	102	24.6%

Disability	%
Any disability	9.6%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	8.5%
65 and over	18.7%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	55.6%
Public insurance	56.9%
No insurance	0.0%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	487	90.0%
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)	524	96.9%
Born in same state	524	96.9%
Born in different state	428	79.1%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	17	3.1%
Not a US citizen	17	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	86	15.9%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	56	10.4%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	35.9%
Internet access	100.0%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 21840

What city is ZIP code 21840 in?

ZIP code 21840 is primarily assigned to Nanticoke, Maryland.

What county is ZIP code 21840 in?

ZIP code 21840 falls within Wicomico County, Maryland.

Does ZIP code 21840 have an older population?

31% of residents in ZIP code 21840 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 21840 have a large veteran population?

25% of civilians in ZIP code 21840 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

Does ZIP code 21840 have a large retiree population?

43% of households in ZIP code 21840 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the population of ZIP code 21840?

ZIP code 21840 has an estimated population of 541 residents, with a density of 103 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 21840 in?

ZIP code 21840 observes the EST timezone.