21655 ZIP Code — Preston, MD
Caroline County, Maryland
ZIP code 21655 is located in Preston, Maryland, within Caroline County. It covers approximately 52.72 square miles and serves a population of 4,753 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 410.
About ZIP code 21655
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 $266,100. Owner-occupancy is high at 81%, well above the national average.
The gap between median ($78,000) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 30 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 22% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
4,753
population
52.72
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Eastern (ET)
timezone
21655 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 21655
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 21655. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Preston | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
21601 Easton (7.1 mi)
21632 Federalsburg (7.5 mi)
21629 Denton (8.1 mi)
21643 Hurlock (8.4 mi)
21625 Cordova (8.8 mi)
21673 Trappe (9.7 mi)
21631 East New Market (11.5 mi)
21654 Oxford (11.8 mi)
21659 Rhodesdale (13.8 mi)
21679 Wye Mills (14.3 mi)
21835 Linkwood (14.8 mi)
21657 Queen Anne (14.8 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 4,753 |
| Population density | 90 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 24 |
| County FIPS | 011 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 52.72 sq mi |
| Water area | 3.34 sq mi |
| Latitude | 38.7516 |
| Longitude | -75.9257 |
| Timezone | Eastern (ET) |
| Area code | 410 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 28.7% | 40.1% | 28.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 44.0% | 34.3% | 28.2% |
| $100k – $200k | 23.5% | 21.3% | 30.1% |
| Over $200k | 3.8% | 4.3% | 13.4% |
Demographics & statistics
4,753
Population
90
People per sq mi
42.7
Median age
$78,000
Median household income
$43,059
Per capita income
$266,100
Median home value
$1,215
Median monthly rent
81.2%
Home ownership
8.5%
Poverty rate
3.6%
Unemployment
1,720
Housing units
21.5%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
89
Under 5
92
182
5–9
189
144
10–14
148
114
15–19
118
142
20–24
146
242
25–34
251
349
35–44
360
288
45–54
298
221
55–59
228
186
60–64
193
219
65–74
226
115
75–84
118
47
85+
48
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 1,027 | 21.6% |
| 18 and over | 3,726 | 78.4% |
| 65 and over | 773 | 16.3% |
| Median age | 42.7 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
77.1%
Black or African American
8.4%
Hispanic or Latino
5.8%
Two or more races
5.3%
Other race
2.8%
Asian
0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 3,891 | 77.1% |
| Black or African American | 422 | 8.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 295 | 5.8% |
| Two or more races | 270 | 5.3% |
| Other race | 142 | 2.8% |
| Asian | 22 | 0.4% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 6 | 0.1% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 28.7% | 40.1% | 28.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 44.0% | 34.3% | 28.2% |
| $100k – $200k | 23.5% | 21.3% | 30.1% |
| Over $200k | 3.8% | 4.3% | 13.4% |
Under $10k
1.1%
$10k–$15k
2.9%
$15k–$25k
5.0%
$25k–$35k
6.1%
$35k–$50k
11.4%
$50k–$75k
19.9%
$75k–$100k
16.6%
$100k–$150k
21.7%
$150k–$200k
6.0%
$200k+
9.4%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 1.1% |
| $10k–$15k | 2.9% |
| $15k–$25k | 5.0% |
| $25k–$35k | 6.1% |
| $35k–$50k | 11.4% |
| $50k–$75k | 19.9% |
| $75k–$100k | 16.6% |
| $100k–$150k | 21.7% |
| $150k–$200k | 6.0% |
| $200k+ | 9.4% |
| Median income | $78,000 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
2.8%
$50k–$100k
1.9%
$100k–$150k
11.4%
$150k–$200k
8.0%
$200k–$300k
37.0%
$300k–$500k
31.1%
$500k–$1M
5.8%
$1M+
1.9%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $266,100 |
| Median rent / month | $1,215 |
| Owner occupied | 81.2% |
| Renter occupied | 18.8% |
| Vacant | 11.0% |
| Single-family detached | 87.2% |
| Large apartment buildings | 0.0% |
| Mobile homes | 6.0% |
| Median rooms | 6.6 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.65 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.0% |
| 2010–2019 | 8.2% |
| 2000–2009 | 11.0% |
| 1990–1999 | 14.6% |
| 1980–1989 | 13.4% |
| 1970–1979 | 12.9% |
| 1960–1969 | 7.7% |
| 1950–1959 | 6.0% |
| 1940–1949 | 9.6% |
| 1939 or earlier | 16.5% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 2.4% |
| 1 bedroom | 4.4% |
| 2 bedrooms | 12.1% |
| 3 bedrooms | 61.6% |
| 4 bedrooms | 15.2% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 4.4% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 3.4% |
| 1 vehicle | 25.3% |
| 2 vehicles | 37.8% |
| 3 or more | 33.5% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 4.0% |
| Electricity | 47.4% |
| Propane / LP gas | 17.3% |
| Fuel oil | 21.5% |
| Wood | 7.1% |
| Solar | 0.9% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 1,043 | 56.7% |
| Cohabiting couple | 122 | 6.6% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 285 | 15.5% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 388 | 21.1% |
| Households with children under 18 | 569 | 31.0% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 541 | 29.4% |
| Average household size | 2.57 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 28.8% | 21.4% |
| Married | 56.6% | 58.4% |
| Separated | 0.0% | 2.1% |
| Widowed | 1.2% | 10.1% |
| Divorced | 13.4% | 8.0% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
0.8%
Some HS, no diploma
6.2%
HS graduate
38.8%
Some college, no degree
23.5%
Associate's degree
9.2%
Bachelor's degree
10.5%
Graduate / professional
11.0%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 93.0% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.5% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 80 | 7.0% |
| Kindergarten | 72 | 6.3% |
| Elementary school | 528 | 46.0% |
| High school | 245 | 21.4% |
| College / grad school | 222 | 19.4% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
23.7%
Construction
10.7%
Retail trade
9.6%
Professional & management
7.8%
Transportation & utilities
7.0%
Other services
6.8%
Public administration
6.8%
Agriculture & mining
6.7%
Manufacturing
6.2%
Arts, food & hospitality
4.5%
Finance & real estate
4.3%
Wholesale trade
3.8%
Information
2.1%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 35.0% |
| Service | 19.0% |
| Sales & office | 20.5% |
| Natural resources & construction | 14.2% |
| Production & transportation | 11.3% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 76.0% |
| Government | 16.7% |
| Self-employed | 7.3% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 86.9% |
| Carpool | 3.4% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.6% |
| Work from home | 4.8% |
| Other means | 3.3% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 29.8 |
Poverty
All people
8.5%
Under 18 years
17.3%
18 and over
6.1%
Married-couple families
3.0%
Female-led households
17.9%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 28.7% |
| Retirement income | 26.2% |
| Supplemental Security | 3.9% |
| Cash public assistance | 2.1% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 13.2% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 36.3% |
| High blood pressure | 35.8% |
| High cholesterol | 35.7% |
| Diabetes | 11.4% |
| Heart disease | 6.3% |
| Stroke | 3.2% |
| Asthma | 10.2% |
| Arthritis | 28.2% |
| Kidney disease | 2.9% |
| Pulmonary disease | 6.9% |
| Cancer | 7.1% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 16.7% |
| Binge drinking | 14.9% |
| No physical activity | 23.6% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 33.8% |
| Depression | 20.4% |
| Fair or poor health | 13.5% |
| Poor mental health | 14.8% |
| Poor physical health | 9.6% |
| No health insurance | 10.3% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 79.1% |
| Visited dentist | 64.7% |
| Cholesterol screening | 91.9% |
| Teeth loss | 11.8% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 244 | 6.5% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 12.0% |
| Under 18 | 2.8% |
| 18–64 years | 10.2% |
| 65 and over | 31.5% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 71.5% |
| Public insurance | 42.5% |
| No insurance | 0.8% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 0.0% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 4,572 | 96.2% |
| Spanish | 30 | 0.7% |
| Other Indo-European | 0 | 0.0% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 23 | 0.5% |
| Other languages | 7 | 0.2% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 4,659 | 98.0% |
| Born in same state | 4,615 | 97.1% |
| Born in different state | 3,603 | 75.8% |
| Foreign born | 44 | 0.9% |
| Naturalized citizen | 94 | 2.0% |
| Not a US citizen | 34 | 36.2% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Arab | 819 | 17.2% |
| French | 790 | 16.6% |
| Italian | 618 | 13% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English | 42 | 0.9% |
| German | 9 | 0.2% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 38.7% |
| Internet access | 92.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 21655
What city is ZIP code 21655 in?
ZIP code 21655 is primarily assigned to Preston, Maryland.
What county is ZIP code 21655 in?
ZIP code 21655 falls within Caroline County, Maryland.
Is ZIP code 21655 mostly owner-occupied?
81% of occupied units in ZIP code 21655 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.
What is the population of ZIP code 21655?
ZIP code 21655 has an estimated population of 4,753 residents, with a density of 90 people per square mile.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 21655?
The median home value in ZIP code 21655 is $266,100.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 21655?
The median household income in ZIP code 21655 is $78,000, above the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 21655 in?
ZIP code 21655 observes the EST timezone.