21901 ZIP Code — North East, MD
Cecil County, Maryland
ZIP code 21901 is located in North East, Maryland, within Cecil County. It covers approximately 48.55 square miles and serves a population of 19,938 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 443/667/410.
About ZIP code 21901
The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the 2000s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $314,900. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 75%.
Median household income is $105,876.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 29 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 32% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
19,938
population
48.55
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Eastern (ET)
timezone
21901 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 21901
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 21901. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| North East | Acceptable |
| North East | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
21903 Perryville (5 mi)
21921 Elkton (5.2 mi)
21915 Chesapeake City (7.3 mi)
21904 Port Deposit (7.4 mi)
21911 Rising Sun (8.4 mi)
21917 Colora (10.3 mi)
21078 Havre De Grace (10.8 mi)
21919 Earleville (10.9 mi)
21912 Warwick (12 mi)
19716 Newark (12.6 mi)
19717 Newark (12.9 mi)
19726 New Castle (13 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 19,938 |
| Population density | 411 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 24 |
| County FIPS | 015 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 48.55 sq mi |
| Water area | 3.45 sq mi |
| Latitude | 39.5756 |
| Longitude | -75.9492 |
| Timezone | Eastern (ET) |
| Area code | 443/667/410 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 27.8% | 31.4% | 28.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 32.6% | 31.8% | 28.2% |
| $100k – $200k | 32.1% | 29.7% | 30.1% |
| Over $200k | 7.5% | 7.1% | 13.4% |
Demographics & statistics
19,938
Population
411
People per sq mi
36.3
Median age
$105,876
Median household income
$46,349
Per capita income
$314,900
Median home value
$1,390
Median monthly rent
74.8%
Home ownership
10.7%
Poverty rate
5.5%
Unemployment
6,201
Housing units
32.3%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
849
Under 5
787
570
5–9
528
901
10–14
834
671
15–19
622
745
20–24
690
1,167
25–34
1,080
1,411
35–44
1,307
1,585
45–54
1,468
608
55–59
563
715
60–64
662
770
65–74
713
258
75–84
238
102
85+
94
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 5,420 | 27.2% |
| 18 and over | 14,518 | 72.8% |
| 65 and over | 2,175 | 10.9% |
| Median age | 36.3 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
86%
Black or African American
5.9%
Two or more races
3.7%
Asian
2.1%
Hispanic or Latino
1.6%
Other race
0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 17,424 | 86% |
| Black or African American | 1,187 | 5.9% |
| Two or more races | 754 | 3.7% |
| Asian | 423 | 2.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 333 | 1.6% |
| Other race | 133 | 0.7% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 17 | 0.1% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 27.8% | 31.4% | 28.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 32.6% | 31.8% | 28.2% |
| $100k – $200k | 32.1% | 29.7% | 30.1% |
| Over $200k | 7.5% | 7.1% | 13.4% |
Under $10k
3.1%
$10k–$15k
3.0%
$15k–$25k
3.0%
$25k–$35k
4.7%
$35k–$50k
5.8%
$50k–$75k
14.4%
$75k–$100k
13.2%
$100k–$150k
24.7%
$150k–$200k
12.2%
$200k+
16.0%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 3.1% |
| $10k–$15k | 3.0% |
| $15k–$25k | 3.0% |
| $25k–$35k | 4.7% |
| $35k–$50k | 5.8% |
| $50k–$75k | 14.4% |
| $75k–$100k | 13.2% |
| $100k–$150k | 24.7% |
| $150k–$200k | 12.2% |
| $200k+ | 16.0% |
| Median income | $105,876 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
1.5%
$50k–$100k
0.5%
$100k–$150k
5.8%
$150k–$200k
8.6%
$200k–$300k
29.7%
$300k–$500k
40.2%
$500k–$1M
12.2%
$1M+
1.5%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $314,900 |
| Median rent / month | $1,390 |
| Owner occupied | 74.8% |
| Renter occupied | 25.2% |
| Vacant | 11.7% |
| Single-family detached | 68.3% |
| Large apartment buildings | 3.4% |
| Mobile homes | 3.1% |
| Median rooms | 6.4 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.88 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.6% |
| 2010–2019 | 14.5% |
| 2000–2009 | 27.0% |
| 1990–1999 | 13.4% |
| 1980–1989 | 16.1% |
| 1970–1979 | 7.0% |
| 1960–1969 | 5.2% |
| 1950–1959 | 8.5% |
| 1940–1949 | 2.5% |
| 1939 or earlier | 5.3% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 0.8% |
| 1 bedroom | 5.9% |
| 2 bedrooms | 17.7% |
| 3 bedrooms | 41.4% |
| 4 bedrooms | 28.7% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 5.5% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 5.9% |
| 1 vehicle | 22.1% |
| 2 vehicles | 41.1% |
| 3 or more | 30.9% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 11.6% |
| Electricity | 43.4% |
| Propane / LP gas | 22.8% |
| Fuel oil | 14.3% |
| Wood | 3.0% |
| Solar | 0.5% |
| No fuel used | 0.8% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 3,868 | 55.0% |
| Cohabiting couple | 454 | 6.4% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 1,052 | 14.9% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 1,665 | 23.7% |
| Households with children under 18 | 2,682 | 38.1% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 1,589 | 22.6% |
| Average household size | 2.82 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 31.1% | 26.3% |
| Married | 58.4% | 51.7% |
| Separated | 0.2% | 2.8% |
| Widowed | 1.2% | 7.9% |
| Divorced | 9.0% | 11.3% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.3%
Some HS, no diploma
5.3%
HS graduate
28.7%
Some college, no degree
23.1%
Associate's degree
9.2%
Bachelor's degree
20.4%
Graduate / professional
12.0%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 93.4% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 32.3% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 306 | 6.3% |
| Kindergarten | 154 | 3.2% |
| Elementary school | 2,341 | 48.4% |
| High school | 1,038 | 21.5% |
| College / grad school | 993 | 20.6% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
22.0%
Retail trade
12.1%
Public administration
10.7%
Construction
9.9%
Professional & management
9.4%
Arts, food & hospitality
8.0%
Manufacturing
7.9%
Finance & real estate
4.9%
Transportation & utilities
4.2%
Other services
3.8%
Wholesale trade
3.7%
Information
2.7%
Agriculture & mining
0.7%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 41.6% |
| Service | 13.3% |
| Sales & office | 21.1% |
| Natural resources & construction | 11.7% |
| Production & transportation | 12.3% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 75.1% |
| Government | 22.2% |
| Self-employed | 2.6% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.1% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 72.8% |
| Carpool | 11.4% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 1.9% |
| Work from home | 11.2% |
| Other means | 2.6% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 28.5 |
Poverty
All people
10.7%
Under 18 years
17.6%
18 and over
8.2%
Married-couple families
0.7%
Female-led households
35.2%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 26.3% |
| Retirement income | 25.2% |
| Supplemental Security | 5.8% |
| Cash public assistance | 4.0% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 14.2% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 38.5% |
| High blood pressure | 34.9% |
| High cholesterol | 33.1% |
| Diabetes | 9.4% |
| Heart disease | 5.5% |
| Stroke | 2.7% |
| Asthma | 10.0% |
| Arthritis | 25.0% |
| Kidney disease | 2.5% |
| Pulmonary disease | 6.7% |
| Cancer | 6.1% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 19.7% |
| Binge drinking | 16.9% |
| No physical activity | 24.6% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 36.0% |
| Depression | 21.4% |
| Fair or poor health | 13.2% |
| Poor mental health | 15.6% |
| Poor physical health | 9.5% |
| No health insurance | 10.4% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 73.3% |
| Visited dentist | 62.1% |
| Cholesterol screening | 90.1% |
| Teeth loss | 12.6% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 1,250 | 8.6% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 10.9% |
| Under 18 | 5.0% |
| 18–64 years | 10.4% |
| 65 and over | 28.3% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 74.7% |
| Public insurance | 32.7% |
| No insurance | 4.4% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 1.5% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 18,302 | 91.8% |
| Spanish | 223 | 1.2% |
| Other Indo-European | 36 | 0.2% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 76 | 0.4% |
| Other languages | 111 | 0.6% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 19,280 | 96.7% |
| Born in same state | 19,165 | 96.1% |
| Born in different state | 9,373 | 47.0% |
| Foreign born | 115 | 0.6% |
| Naturalized citizen | 658 | 3.3% |
| Not a US citizen | 343 | 52.1% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | 3,406 | 17.1% |
| French | 2,696 | 13.5% |
| Arab | 1,209 | 6.1% |
| English | 186 | 0.9% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Polish | 55 | 0.3% |
| Dutch | 17 | 0.1% |
| German | 10 | 0.1% |
| Norwegian | 5 | 0% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 35.3% |
| Internet access | 95.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 21901
What city is ZIP code 21901 in?
ZIP code 21901 is primarily assigned to North East, Maryland.
What county is ZIP code 21901 in?
ZIP code 21901 falls within Cecil County, Maryland.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 21901?
The median household income in ZIP code 21901 is $105,876, above the national median of ~$75,000.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 21901?
The median home value in ZIP code 21901 is $314,900.
What is the population of ZIP code 21901?
ZIP code 21901 has an estimated population of 19,938 residents, with a density of 411 people per square mile.
What timezone is ZIP code 21901 in?
ZIP code 21901 observes the EST timezone.