ZIP Code · MD

ZIP 21209

Part of Baltimore, MD

Pop. 30,126·Baltimore County·98th most expensive ZIP in Maryland

Median rent (all units)

$1,754/mo

Year-over-Year

+4.0%

Month-over-Month

Stable

vs US Median

-$178

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 21209 · $1,754

More affordable than 54% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,510

1 BR

$1,680

2 BR

$2,060

3 BR

$2,620

4 BR+

$2,900

Research median

$2,060/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

November. Asking rents in ZIP 21209 usually run 1% below trend in November and 1% above it in June, about $35 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 21209 is 0.1% below its high of $1,755 in July 2026, at $1,754 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Maryland

Rent in ZIP 21209 changed +4.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 124 Maryland ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 10 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($91,437) is $2,286 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,060); a 3-bedroom is $2,620.

Rank in Baltimore

15th cheapest of 20 ZIP codes in Baltimore.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 21215, 2 miles away, rents for 25% less ($1,312/mo), about $5,300 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 21209. 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.

Annual cost

$21,048/yr

At $1,754/mo median

Location

CityBaltimore

StateMD

CountyBaltimore County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (4.0% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+4.0% YoY, +0.1% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 21209 (Baltimore, MD) is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income above the national average, 60.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

30,126

Median income

$91,437

Median age

35.6

Renters

42.5%

Age distribution

29.8%

19.1%

23.3%

18%

Under 1829.8%

18–3419.1%

35–5423.3%

55–649.7%

65+18%

Gender

48.2%

51.8%

Male48.2%

Female51.8%

Race & ethnicity

68.6%

20.7%

White68.6%

Black20.7%

Hispanic5.2%

Asian4.9%

Other0.5%

Education (25+)

13.1%

22.1%

60.7%

No HS diploma4.1%

HS diploma13.1%

Some college22.1%

Bachelor's+60.7%

Housing tenure

57.5%

42.5%

Owner57.5%

Renter42.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 21209 in Baltimore, MD has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,398 → $1,754

up 25.5%

Income

$86,730 → $91,437

up 5.4%

Population

30,146 → 30,126

down 0.1%

Renter share

39.9% → 42.5%

+2.6 pts

Bachelor's+

63.1% → 60.7%

-2.4 pts

Median age

34.9 → 35.6

+0.7 yrs

Five years ago, renters in ZIP 21209 in Baltimore, MD paid around $1,398 a month. That figure now sits near $1,754, up 25.5% from the 2021 baseline. On the earnings side, the typical household in ZIP 21209 in Baltimore, MD now reports about $91,437, up from $86,730 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has risen from 39.9% to 42.5%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 63.1% to 60.7% across the same window. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and ZIP 21209 in Baltimore, MD reflects that arc in its own way.

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About renting in ZIP 21209

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 21209 covers Baltimore, MD. The median rent here is $1,754/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,680/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,060/mo.

At 23% of local median household income ($91,437/yr), ZIP 21209 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.0% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 21209?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $70,000/year (about $34/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,754/mo in ZIP 21209. The local median household income is $91,437/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 21209?

Rent in ZIP 21209 has risen 4.0% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0.1% below its high of $1,755 in July 2026.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 21209?

Asking rents in ZIP 21209 are usually lowest in November, about 1% below their yearly trend, and highest in June, about 1% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $35 a month. This pattern comes from 5 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 21209 compare to other ZIPs in Maryland?

ZIP 21209 is one of the more affordable among Maryland ZIP codes for rent, ranking #98 of 140 at $1,754/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 21209 changed +4.0%, against a typical +2.6% across the 124 Maryland ZIP codes Zillow tracks.