ZIP Code · MD

ZIP 21224

Part of Baltimore, MD

Pop. 47,465·Baltimore City·47th most expensive ZIP in Maryland

Median rent (all units)

$2,162/mo

Year-over-Year

+4.5%

Month-over-Month

+0.4%

vs US Median

+$230

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 21224 · $2,162

More expensive than 69% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,580

1 BR

$1,750

2 BR

$2,150

3 BR

$2,730

4 BR+

$3,020

Research median

$2,150/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

January. Asking rents in ZIP 21224 usually run 0.6% below trend in January and 1% above it in July, about $35 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 21224 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.

Past year vs. the rest of Maryland

Rent in ZIP 21224 changed +4.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 124 Maryland ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 21224 rose 27.6% while median household income rose 20.7% ($73,750 to $89,017). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 21224 is 39.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 9 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($89,017) is $2,225 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,150); a 3-bedroom is $2,730.

Rank in Baltimore

18th cheapest of 20 ZIP codes in Baltimore.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 21205, 2 miles away, rents for 14% less ($1,857/mo), about $3,700 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 21224. 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

$25,944/yr

At $2,162/mo median

Location

CityBaltimore

StateMD

CountyBaltimore City

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (4.5% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+4.5% YoY, +0.4% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 21224 (Baltimore, MD) is majority owner-occupied, 48.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

47,465

Median income

$89,017

Median age

34.3

Renters

41.5%

Age distribution

21.8%

29.8%

26.3%

12.4%

Under 1821.8%

18–3429.8%

35–5426.3%

55–649.7%

65+12.4%

Gender

49.7%

50.3%

Male49.7%

Female50.3%

Race & ethnicity

55.8%

15.1%

23.5%

White55.8%

Black15.1%

Hispanic23.5%

Asian3.5%

Other2.2%

Education (25+)

16.9%

19.1%

15.5%

48.6%

No HS diploma16.9%

HS diploma19.1%

Some college15.5%

Bachelor's+48.6%

Housing tenure

58.5%

41.5%

Owner58.5%

Renter41.5%

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

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 21224 in Baltimore, MD has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,668 → $2,162

up 29.6%

Income

$80,984 → $89,017

up 9.9%

Population

46,110 → 47,465

up 2.9%

Renter share

39.6% → 41.5%

+1.9 pts

Bachelor's+

47.5% → 48.6%

+1.1 pts

Rent in ZIP 21224 in Baltimore, MD has climbed 29.6% since 2021, going from about $1,668 per month to roughly $2,162 today. Median household income grew from $80,984 to $89,017 between 2021 and 2024, a 9.9% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 19.7 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 46,110 to 47,465 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.9% change. About 41.5% of households rent today, against 39.6% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 21224 in Baltimore, MD reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 21224

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 21224 covers Baltimore, MD. The median rent here is $2,162/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,750/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,150/mo.

At 29% of local median household income ($89,017/yr), ZIP 21224 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 21224?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $86,000/year (about $41/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $2,162/mo in ZIP 21224. The local median household income is $89,017/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 21224?

Rent in ZIP 21224 has risen 4.5% over the past year as of September 2026. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 21224?

Asking rents in ZIP 21224 are usually lowest in January, about 0.6% below their yearly trend, and highest in July, about 1% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $35 a month. This pattern comes from 11 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 21224?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 21224 rose 27.6% while median household income rose 20.7%, from $73,750 to $89,017. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 21224 compare to other ZIPs in Maryland?

ZIP 21224 is one of the pricier among Maryland ZIP codes for rent, ranking #47 of 140 at $2,162/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 21224 changed +4.5%, against a typical +2.6% across the 124 Maryland ZIP codes Zillow tracks.