Essex is a community in Baltimore County, Maryland, home to about 40,580 people across 9.3 square miles. Its ZIP code is 21221.
Homes sold for a median of $187 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Essex; also Middle River and Rosedale
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Essex. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Essex’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)15 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Baltimore, MD8 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA85 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Essex; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Essex had 40,505 residents in the 2020 census, up 4% since 2000.
It’s the 25th largest of 527 towns in Maryland by population.
Baltimore County grew from 90,755 residents in 1900 to 854,535 in 2020.
Baltimore County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 90°F in summer, and winter lows average 30°F. About 44 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Md Sci Ctr Baltimore, MD weather station (9 miles away).
340,854 jobs at 20,340 businesses in Baltimore County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
169 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Essex.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 17 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 9 |
| Dentists | 14 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 44 |
| Mental health providers | 40 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 36 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 8 |
| Pharmacies | 14 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (14 nearby)
Grocery stores (6 nearby)
Pharmacies (8 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (2 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Baltimore County Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex ElementaryBaltimore | Pre-K–5 | 481 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Mars Estates ElementaryBaltimore | Pre-K–5 | 400 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Middleborough ElementaryBaltimore | Pre-K–5 | 288 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Middlesex ElementaryBaltimore | Pre-K–5 | 448 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Orems ElementaryBaltimore | Pre-K–5 | 402 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Sandalwood ElementaryBaltimore | Pre-K–5 | 440 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Sussex ElementaryBaltimore | Pre-K–5 | 475 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Deep Creek ElementaryBaltimore | K–5 | 385 | Public | 0.1 mi |
| Deep Creek MiddleBaltimore | 6–8 | 670 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Stemmers Run MiddleBaltimore | 6–8 | 831 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| Chesapeake HighBaltimore | 9–12 | 1,052 | Public | 2.1 mi |
| Eastern Technical High SchoolBaltimore | 9–12 | 1,330 | Career and Technical | 1.6 mi |
| Kenwood HighBaltimore | 9–12 | 1,900 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our Lady of Mt Carmel SchoolEssex | Pre-K–12 | 498 | Roman Catholic | 0.9 mi |
| St Stevens Christian AcademyEssex | Pre-K–1 | 16 | African Methodist Episcopal | 0.4 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Middle River and Rosedale.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.