ZIP Code 21824 — Smith Island CDP, MD Demographics & Data

ZIP code 21824 covers Smith Island, MD in Somerset County with a population of about 234.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 48.6 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area codes 410, 443, 667; U.S. House district MD-1; the SALISBURY media market.

Smith Island, MD fits a retirement-oriented profile (high share of residents 65+ (37.2%)). Residents and relocators commonly research healthcare access, everyday amenities (dining, personal services), and housing costs rather than tech or campus life.

Median household income in ZIP 21824 is about $87,938 — about 17% above the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 7.7%; unemployment rate near 0.0%; 1.1% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 32.6 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Wholesale trade, Professional services, and Food services; about 19.0% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 3.8 points above the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 64.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $109,000 — about 69% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show owner-occupancy near 80.2% (about 14.8 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 21824 in Smith Island, MD, a household would need roughly $30,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $700. That sits below the local median household income ($87,938), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Smith Island CDP, MD as Relatively Low (composite score 59.6), which is near the middle of the national distribution. The strongest component scores on US5 are hurricane (88.8) and wildfire (85.8). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Smith Island CDP, MD show little to no average snow and around 46.3 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 14 for ZIP 21824 (Smith Island CDP, MD) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.