ZIP Code 21853 — Mount Vernon CDP, MD Demographics & Data

ZIP code 21853 covers Mount Vernon, MD in Somerset County with a population of about 11,161.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 32.2 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.

Mount Vernon, MD sits in a university / college context (near university of maryland eastern shore (1.9 mi)). Expect stronger interest in student housing, rentals, walkability, transit, and a younger adult age mix versus typical suburban ZIPs.

Median household income in ZIP 21853 is about $51,710 — about 31% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 27.6%; unemployment rate near 4.7%; 21.7% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 12.0 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Education, Healthcare, and Public administration; about 8.8% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 6.4 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $167,000 — about 52% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $816 (about 30% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 54.5% (about 10.9 points below the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 21853 in Mount Vernon, MD, a household would need roughly $46,000 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 $1,073. That sits below the local median household income ($51,710), 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 Mount Vernon 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 Mount Vernon CDP, MD show little to no average snow and around 48.0 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 656 for ZIP 21853 (Mount Vernon 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.