21856 ZIP Code — Quantico, MD

Wicomico County, Maryland

ZIP code 21856 is located in Quantico, Maryland, within Wicomico County. It covers approximately 33.48 square miles and serves a population of 924 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 410/443.

About ZIP code 21856

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $292,700. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 74%.

Median household income is $74,167. SNAP benefit usage at 25% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 44% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is sales and office, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 25 minutes is near the national average. Remote work is prevalent — 28% of workers work from home.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 31% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 21856 reflects a community defined by a high rate of remote workers, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

924

population

33.48

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

21856 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 21856

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 21856. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Quantico	Acceptable
Quantico	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

21865 Tyaskin (3.2 mi) 21814 Bivalve (5.4 mi) 21830 Hebron (6.5 mi) 21840 Nanticoke (6.7 mi) 21869 Vienna (7.3 mi) 21822 Eden (8.3 mi) 21801 Salisbury (9.2 mi) 21826 Fruitland (9.4 mi) 21853 Princess Anne (9.9 mi) 21837 Mardela Springs (10.7 mi) 21804 Salisbury (15.3 mi) 21821 Deal Island (15.9 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	924
Population density	28 / sq mi
State FIPS	24
County FIPS	045

Geography
Land area	33.48 sq mi
Water area	3.56 sq mi
Latitude	38.3194
Longitude	-75.7953
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	55.6%	42.5%	28.2%
$50k – $100k	36.4%	31.8%	28.2%
$100k – $200k	8.0%	21.8%	30.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	4.0%	13.4%

Demographics & statistics

924

Population

People per sq mi

44.6

Median age

$74,167

Median household income

$37,659

Per capita income

$292,700

Median home value

$1,193

Median monthly rent

74.0%

Home ownership

16.6%

Poverty rate

4.8%

Unemployment

386

Housing units

31.0%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	104	11.3%
18 and over	820	88.7%
65 and over	277	30.0%
Median age	44.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 72.1%

Black or African American 21.2%

Two or more races 6.7%

Group	Count	%
White	666	72.1%
Black or African American	196	21.2%
Two or more races	62	6.7%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	55.6%	42.5%	28.2%
$50k – $100k	36.4%	31.8%	28.2%
$100k – $200k	8.0%	21.8%	30.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	4.0%	13.4%

$25k–$35k 5.3%

$35k–$50k 15.7%

$50k–$75k 30.5%

$75k–$100k 12.4%

$100k–$150k 18.9%

$200k+ 17.2%

Range	% of households
$25k–$35k	5.3%
$35k–$50k	15.7%
$50k–$75k	30.5%
$75k–$100k	12.4%
$100k–$150k	18.9%
$200k+	17.2%
Median income	$74,167

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 5.2%

$50k–$100k 9.2%

$100k–$150k 7.6%

$200k–$300k 30.8%

$300k–$500k 13.2%

$500k–$1M 34.0%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$292,700
Median rent / month	$1,193
Owner occupied	74.0%
Renter occupied	26.0%
Vacant	28.7%
Single-family detached	82.9%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	17.1%
Median rooms	6.1
Avg household size (owned)	2.36

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.0%
2000–2009	14.8%
1990–1999	17.7%
1980–1989	15.4%
1970–1979	23.0%
1960–1969	0.0%
1950–1959	16.2%
1940–1949	0.0%
1939 or earlier	12.9%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	3.4%
2 bedrooms	22.6%
3 bedrooms	64.8%
4 bedrooms	9.3%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.0%
1 vehicle	32.5%
2 vehicles	48.5%
3 or more	18.9%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	9.5%
Electricity	29.3%
Propane / LP gas	20.4%
Fuel oil	25.7%
Wood	3.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	179	53.0%
Cohabiting couple	84	24.9%
Male householder, no spouse	52	15.4%
Female householder, no spouse	23	6.8%
Households with children under 18	112	33.1%
Households with seniors (65+)	150	44.4%
Average household size	2.36

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	52.7%	31.8%
Married	43.9%	58.8%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	3.4%	3.1%
Divorced	0.0%	6.4%

Education

Less than 9th grade 1.3%

Some HS, no diploma 9.7%

HS graduate 31.5%

Some college, no degree 24.2%

Associate's degree 2.3%

Bachelor's degree 12.5%

Graduate / professional 18.5%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	89.0%
Bachelor's or higher	31.0%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	9	10.2%
Elementary school	27	30.7%
High school	31	35.2%
College / grad school	21	23.9%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 35.6%

Retail trade 26.4%

Other services 15.9%

Finance & real estate 6.8%

Professional & management 6.4%

Transportation & utilities 5.4%

Arts, food & hospitality 3.4%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	28.1%
Service	10.8%
Sales & office	39.7%
Natural resources & construction	15.9%
Production & transportation	5.4%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	84.1%
Government	9.2%
Self-employed	6.8%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	46.5%
Carpool	25.1%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	28.4%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	24.5

Poverty

All people 16.6%

Under 18 years 54.8%

18 and over 10.9%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 71.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	44.4%
Retirement income	23.7%
Supplemental Security	4.4%
Cash public assistance	6.8%
Food stamps / SNAP	24.9%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	36.1%
High blood pressure	38.4%
High cholesterol	35.1%
Diabetes	10.7%
Heart disease	5.9%
Stroke	3.0%
Asthma	9.5%
Arthritis	25.1%
Kidney disease	2.7%
Pulmonary disease	5.7%
Cancer	6.7%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	15.3%
Binge drinking	17.0%
No physical activity	19.6%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	34.0%
Depression	17.4%
Fair or poor health	11.7%
Poor mental health	12.9%
Poor physical health	8.2%
No health insurance	10.4%
Visited doctor (checkup)	78.2%
Visited dentist	62.7%
Cholesterol screening	93.0%
Teeth loss	11.1%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	85	10.4%

Disability	%
Any disability	20.9%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	16.0%
65 and over	36.8%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	84.9%
Public insurance	58.8%
No insurance	1.6%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	871	94.3%
Spanish	8	0.9%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	8	0.9%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	892	96.5%
Born in same state	892	96.5%
Born in different state	405	43.8%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	32	3.5%
Not a US citizen	15	46.9%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	194	21%
Italian	117	12.7%

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	64	6.9%
English	41	4.4%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	36.6%
Internet access	96.2%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 21856

What city is ZIP code 21856 in?

ZIP code 21856 is primarily assigned to Quantico, Maryland.

What county is ZIP code 21856 in?

ZIP code 21856 falls within Wicomico County, Maryland.

Does ZIP code 21856 have an older population?

30% of residents in ZIP code 21856 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 21856 have a large retiree population?

44% of households in ZIP code 21856 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21856?

17% of residents in ZIP code 21856 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 21856 have a large veteran population?

10% of civilians in ZIP code 21856 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 21856 in?

ZIP code 21856 observes the EST timezone.