ZIP 21202
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Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in ZIP 21202 usually run 1.1% below trend in December and 1.1% above it in July, about $38 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 21202 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in May 2016.
Rent in ZIP 21202 changed +4.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 124 Maryland ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 21202 rose 15% while median household income rose 24.1% ($47,848 to $59,377). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 21202 is 23% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($59,377) is $1,484 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($1,610).
12th cheapest of 20 ZIP codes in Baltimore.
ZIP 21201, 1 mile away, rents for 14% less ($1,474/mo), about $2,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 21202. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Who lives here
ZIP 21202 (Baltimore, MD) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 45% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 21202 in Baltimore, MD has changed in 5 years
The median rent in ZIP 21202 in Baltimore, MD stood at $1,397 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,711, reflecting a 22.5% increase over the period. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $54,477 in 2021 to $59,377 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 3.0% since 2021, moving from about 21,314 residents to roughly 20,683. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 21202 in Baltimore, MD market of 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 21202
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 21202 covers Baltimore, MD. The median rent here is $1,711/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,780/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,190/mo.
At 35% of local median household income ($59,377/yr), ZIP 21202 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 21202 compare to the rest of Baltimore?
At $1,711/mo, rent takes ~35% of ZIP 21202's median household income ($59,377/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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