21659 ZIP Code — Rhodesdale, MD

Dorchester County, Maryland

ZIP code 21659 is located in Rhodesdale, Maryland, within Dorchester County. It covers approximately 43.77 square miles and serves a population of 1,225 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 410/443.

About ZIP code 21659

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 2000s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $161,400. Owner-occupancy is high at 89%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $68,393. SNAP benefit usage at 20% 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 management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 28 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 14% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Overall, ZIP code 21659 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, high homeownership, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

1,225

population

43.77

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

21659 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 21659

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 21659. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Rhodesdale	Acceptable
Rhodesdale	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

21643 Hurlock (5.4 mi) 21631 East New Market (6.8 mi) 21835 Linkwood (7.1 mi) 21837 Mardela Springs (7.2 mi) 19931 Bethel (10 mi) 21632 Federalsburg (10.2 mi) 21830 Hebron (12 mi) 21869 Vienna (12.9 mi) 19973 Seaford (12.9 mi) 21655 Preston (13.8 mi) 19956 Laurel (14.1 mi) 21673 Trappe (14.2 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,225
Population density	28 / sq mi
State FIPS	24
County FIPS	019

Geography
Land area	43.77 sq mi
Water area	0.94 sq mi
Latitude	38.5739
Longitude	-75.8100
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	31.0%	48.7%	28.2%
$50k – $100k	30.8%	30.4%	28.2%
$100k – $200k	29.4%	17.3%	30.1%
Over $200k	8.8%	3.7%	13.4%

Demographics & statistics

1,225

Population

People per sq mi

51.1

Median age

$68,393

Median household income

$32,676

Per capita income

$161,400

Median home value

$788

Median monthly rent

89.2%

Home ownership

9.7%

Poverty rate

0.4%

Unemployment

433

Housing units

14.4%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

144

45–54

135

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	193	15.8%
18 and over	1,032	84.2%
65 and over	214	17.5%
Median age	51.1 years

Race & ethnicity

White 76%

Black or African American 21.6%

Asian 1.6%

Two or more races 0.4%

Hispanic or Latino 0.3%

Group	Count	%
White	934	76%
Black or African American	266	21.6%
Asian	20	1.6%
Two or more races	5	0.4%
Hispanic or Latino	4	0.3%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	31.0%	48.7%	28.2%
$50k – $100k	30.8%	30.4%	28.2%
$100k – $200k	29.4%	17.3%	30.1%
Over $200k	8.8%	3.7%	13.4%

Under $10k 5.3%

$10k–$15k 4.1%

$15k–$25k 11.0%

$25k–$35k 4.3%

$35k–$50k 7.7%

$50k–$75k 19.4%

$75k–$100k 18.9%

$100k–$150k 11.3%

$150k–$200k 9.8%

$200k+ 8.2%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	5.3%
$10k–$15k	4.1%
$15k–$25k	11.0%
$25k–$35k	4.3%
$35k–$50k	7.7%
$50k–$75k	19.4%
$75k–$100k	18.9%
$100k–$150k	11.3%
$150k–$200k	9.8%
$200k+	8.2%
Median income	$68,393

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 8.9%

$50k–$100k 14.0%

$100k–$150k 25.8%

$150k–$200k 4.3%

$200k–$300k 16.1%

$300k–$500k 30.9%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$161,400
Median rent / month	$788
Owner occupied	89.2%
Renter occupied	10.8%
Vacant	12.8%
Single-family detached	77.0%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	23.0%
Median rooms	6.7
Avg household size (owned)	2.83

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.0%
2000–2009	22.6%
1990–1999	19.5%
1980–1989	7.7%
1970–1979	5.4%
1960–1969	11.7%
1950–1959	10.3%
1940–1949	1.5%
1939 or earlier	21.3%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	2.1%
1 bedroom	0.6%
2 bedrooms	14.9%
3 bedrooms	61.9%
4 bedrooms	14.0%
5+ bedrooms	6.5%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	4.3%
1 vehicle	9.1%
2 vehicles	52.5%
3 or more	34.1%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Electricity	44.6%
Propane / LP gas	16.1%
Fuel oil	31.9%
Wood	2.2%
No fuel used	5.0%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	189	45.3%
Cohabiting couple	83	19.9%
Male householder, no spouse	93	22.3%
Female householder, no spouse	52	12.5%
Households with children under 18	116	27.8%
Households with seniors (65+)	151	36.2%
Average household size	2.94

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	15.1%	30.7%
Married	41.4%	47.1%
Separated	7.1%	0.0%
Widowed	3.7%	8.0%
Divorced	32.7%	14.3%

Education

Less than 9th grade 3.3%

Some HS, no diploma 17.3%

HS graduate 49.4%

Some college, no degree 12.9%

Associate's degree 2.6%

Bachelor's degree 5.5%

Graduate / professional 8.9%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	79.3%
Bachelor's or higher	14.4%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	11	5.4%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	103	50.7%
High school	61	30.0%
College / grad school	28	13.8%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 21.7%

Construction 11.9%

Retail trade 11.9%

Manufacturing 11.6%

Wholesale trade 11.4%

Other services 9.1%

Transportation & utilities 5.5%

Professional & management 4.8%

Finance & real estate 4.6%

Agriculture & mining 3.6%

Arts, food & hospitality 3.4%

Public administration 0.4%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	31.0%
Service	11.9%
Sales & office	27.3%
Natural resources & construction	15.7%
Production & transportation	14.1%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	73.6%
Government	14.8%
Self-employed	11.6%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	90.9%
Carpool	5.0%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	1.3%
Work from home	2.9%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	28.0

Poverty

All people 9.7%

Under 18 years 2.6%

18 and over 11.0%

Married-couple families 4.8%

Female-led households 48.6%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	43.6%
Retirement income	34.3%
Supplemental Security	3.6%
Cash public assistance	0.5%
Food stamps / SNAP	20.4%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	37.7%
High blood pressure	38.3%
High cholesterol	35.6%
Diabetes	12.2%
Heart disease	6.8%
Stroke	3.5%
Asthma	10.4%
Arthritis	28.4%
Kidney disease	3.1%
Pulmonary disease	7.9%
Cancer	7.3%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	18.4%
Binge drinking	14.7%
No physical activity	25.5%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	33.0%
Depression	20.7%
Fair or poor health	15.2%
Poor mental health	14.8%
Poor physical health	10.3%
No health insurance	11.2%
Visited doctor (checkup)	79.5%
Visited dentist	61.2%
Cholesterol screening	91.4%
Teeth loss	13.1%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	104	10.1%

Disability	%
Any disability	16.1%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	13.1%
65 and over	42.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	63.9%
Public insurance	35.9%
No insurance	8.5%
Uninsured under 19	26.9%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,201	98.0%
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)	1,214	99.1%
Born in same state	1,203	98.2%
Born in different state	802	65.5%
Foreign born	11	0.9%
Naturalized citizen	11	0.9%
Not a US citizen	11	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	171	14%
Italian	101	8.2%
French	72	5.9%

Ancestry	Count	%
Norwegian	41	3.3%
German	12	1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	34.0%
Internet access	91.8%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 21659

What city is ZIP code 21659 in?

ZIP code 21659 is primarily assigned to Rhodesdale, Maryland.

What county is ZIP code 21659 in?

ZIP code 21659 falls within Dorchester County, Maryland.

Is ZIP code 21659 mostly owner-occupied?

89% of occupied units in ZIP code 21659 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 21659?

14% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Does ZIP code 21659 have a large retiree population?

44% of households in ZIP code 21659 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 21659 have a large veteran population?

10% of civilians in ZIP code 21659 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 21659 in?

ZIP code 21659 observes the EST timezone.