ZIP Code · MD

ZIP 21702

Part of Frederick, MD

Pop. 49,605·Frederick County·72nd most expensive ZIP in Maryland

Median rent (all units)

$1,958/mo

Year-over-Year

+3.0%

Month-over-Month

Stable

vs US Median

+$26

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 21702 · $1,958

More expensive than 59% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,550

1 BR

$1,600

2 BR

$1,780

3 BR

$2,250

4 BR+

$2,640

Research median

$1,780/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 21702 usually run 1.2% below trend in January and 0.9% above it in August, about $41 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 21702 is 0.1% below its high of $1,959 in August 2026, at $1,958 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Maryland

Rent in ZIP 21702 changed +3.1% 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 21702 rose 39% while median household income rose 25.9% ($85,006 to $106,983). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 21702 is 44.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 10 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($106,983) is $2,675 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($2,640).

Rank in Frederick

1st cheapest of 4 ZIP codes in Frederick.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 21702. 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

$23,496/yr

At $1,958/mo median

Location

CityFrederick

StateMD

CountyFrederick County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (3.0% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+3.0% YoY, -0.1% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 21702 (Frederick, MD) is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 41.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

49,605

Median income

$106,983

Median age

38.1

Renters

34.8%

Age distribution

22.8%

21.7%

28.7%

15%

Under 1822.8%

18–3421.7%

35–5428.7%

55–6411.9%

65+15%

Gender

48.5%

51.5%

Male48.5%

Female51.5%

Race & ethnicity

53.1%

16.7%

21.8%

White53.1%

Black16.7%

Hispanic21.8%

Asian5.9%

Other2.4%

Education (25+)

20.4%

27.3%

41.4%

No HS diploma10.9%

HS diploma20.4%

Some college27.3%

Bachelor's+41.4%

Housing tenure

65.2%

34.8%

Owner65.2%

Renter34.8%

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

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 21702 in Frederick, MD has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,483 → $1,958

up 32.0%

Income

$92,267 → $106,983

up 15.9%

Population

44,783 → 49,605

up 10.8%

Renter share

35.6% → 34.8%

-0.8 pts

Bachelor's+

40% → 41.4%

+1.4 pts

Since 2021, the typical rent in ZIP 21702 in Frederick, MD has increased from $1,483 to $1,958, a 32.0% change over five years. Median household income rose from $92,267 to $106,983 between 2021 and 2024, a 15.9% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 10.8% since 2021, moving from about 44,783 residents to roughly 49,605. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 21702 in Frederick, 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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About renting in ZIP 21702

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 21702 covers Frederick, MD. The median rent here is $1,958/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,600/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,780/mo.

At 22% of local median household income ($106,983/yr), ZIP 21702 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.0% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 21702?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $78,000/year (about $38/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,958/mo in ZIP 21702. The local median household income is $106,983/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 21702?

Rent in ZIP 21702 has risen 3.0% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0.1% below its high of $1,959 in August 2026.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 21702?

Asking rents in ZIP 21702 are usually lowest in January, about 1.2% below their yearly trend, and highest in August, about 0.9% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $41 a month. This pattern comes from 10 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 21702?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 21702 rose 39% while median household income rose 25.9%, from $85,006 to $106,983. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 21702 compare to other ZIPs in Maryland?

ZIP 21702 is in the middle among Maryland ZIP codes for rent, ranking #72 of 140 at $1,958/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 21702 changed +3.1%, against a typical +2.6% across the 124 Maryland ZIP codes Zillow tracks.