The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in 21502, MD: Crime Maps and Statistics

Overall Crime Grade™

Violent Crime Grade	D+
Property Crime Grade	D+
Other Crime Grade	D-

Which crimes are included?

$22.6 million

Cost of Crime™ for 21502, MD

In 2025, crime will cost $1,249 per household.

More cost data

On the map, green marks the parts of 21502 with the least crime overall and red marks the most. Each area is weighted by the type and severity of every offense, so a place with rare but serious violent crime can grade differently from one with frequent petty theft. The Interpreting the Crime Maps section below explains how to read the colors.

Is 21502, MD Safe?

The D overall grade blends the violent, property, and other grades shown above into one measure, set against the average US zip, where 21502's combined rate is higher than the norm. 21502 sits in the 21st percentile, ahead of 21% of zip codes and behind 79%. The grade covers only 21502's official city boundaries. See the table below for nearby zip codes.

The overall crime rate in 21502 is 40.24 per 1,000 residents in a typical year. Residents generally consider the northeast part of the zip the safest. Your chance of being a victim ranges from 1 in 15 in the north areas to 1 in 32 in the northeast.

Counting total incidents instead of per-capita rates, the southwest parts of 21502, MD report the most crime, about 457 cases per year. The southeast part reports the fewest, around 83 per year.

The Cost of Crime™ in 21502, MD

Across all crime types, the projected cost of crime in 21502 for 2025 is $22,641,229, about $552 per resident and $1,249 per household. That equals 1.8% of the median household income. These figures cover tangible costs, which include:

Criminal justice system costs (law enforcement, courts, and imprisonment): 58.4%
Direct costs to victims (damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages): 29.5%
Lost economic contribution from offenders (time in prison or repeat offenses): 12.1%

How Much Does Crime Cost in 21502 Compared to Other Zip Codes?

21502, MD:	$552
21223, MD:	$1637
21012, MD:	$186
Maryland:	$531
USA:	$464

The overall cost of crime per resident in 21502 is $552 per year, which is $88 more than the national average and $21 more than Maryland's state average. The comparison below uses zip codes similar to 21502:

In 21223, MD, crime costs $1,637 per person, which is $1,085 more than in 21502.
In 21012, MD, crime costs $186 per person, which is $366 less than in 21502

2025 Projected Cost by Type of Crime

The table below shows the total cost of crime to the residents of 21502 for the year 2025 along with the projected cost per resident.

Crime	Cost to 21502	Cost per 21502 Resident
Murder	$6.30 million	$154
Rape/Sexual Assault	$1.61 million	$39
Robbery	$1.31 million	$32
Assault	$3.40 million	$83
Kidnapping	$121,324	$3
Vehicle Theft	$521,350	$13
Burglary	$1.25 million	$31
Theft	$3.21 million	$78
Arson	$116,346	$3
Vandalism	$2.71 million	$66
Animal Cruelty	$29,917	$1
Drug Crimes	$1.77 million	$43
Identity Theft	$298,475	$7
Total Cost of Crime	$22,641,229	$552

The Intangible Cost of Crime in 21502, MD

The totals above count tangible costs only. Violent crime also carries a human cost, the pain and trauma borne by victims and their families, which research-based methods estimate so it can be compared across places. That intangible cost in 21502 totals $50,973,105 ($1,243 per resident), and all of it comes from violent crime rather than property loss. Added to the tangible costs, the full estimate reaches $73,614,334 ($1,796 per resident). All Cost of Crime figures come from scholarly research on the cost of crime. Read more about our methodology here.

Interpreting the Crime Maps

Crime rates on the map are measured per resident, so areas with heavy visitor traffic can read high because crime follows crowds, even where few people live. The southwest part of the zip holds more retail establishments, which lifts recorded crime around those blocks. A red area does not always mean the neighborhood is unsafe for residents.

Airports, parks, and transit hubs create the same effect. Major airports draw large crowds with few residents nearby, so they read as high-crime spots. Parks and recreational areas, of which 21502 has 9, do the same, and of 21502's 40,999 residents few live beside them. Before assuming an area is unsafe, weigh both the per-capita rate and the total number of incidents, and note what sits nearby.

The interactive maps load faster on a strong connection. Compare high speed internet in 21502, MD at ISP Reports.

21502 Crime Breakdown

The tables below show which crimes are used to calculate the Crime Grades above. All crime rates are shown as the number of crimes per 1,000 21502 residents in a standard year.

Violent Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Assault	2.889
Robbery	1.013
Rape	0.6459
Murder	0.0817
Total Violent Crime	4.630 (D+)

Property Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Theft	15.13
Vehicle Theft	0.8212
Burglary	3.368
Arson	0.1175
Total Property Crime	19.44 (D+)

Other Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Kidnapping	0.0488
Drug Crimes	5.833
Vandalism	9.251
Identity Theft	0.9406
Animal Cruelty	0.0986
Total "Other" Rate	16.17 (D-)

Individual 21502 Crime Maps & Stats

Crime Maps and Rates for Nearby Zip Codes

Compared to surrounding zip codes, the rate of crime in 21502 is higher. The table below shows Crime Grades for zip codes close to 21502.

Nearby Zip	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
26767, WV	A-	A-	B+
26753, WV	A-	B+	A
21524, MD	D+	C+	D+
21529, MD	D+	C+	D+
21545, MD	D+	D	C-
15564, PA	A-	A	B
21532, MD	D	D	C-
26719, WV	A-	B	A+
21542, MD	B-	C+	B+
21543, MD	C+	C+	C+

Crime Maps and Rates for Zip with Similar Populations

21502 is higher versus other zip codes of the same size for crime. The table below compares crime in zip codes with comparable overall population in the zip‘s boundaries.

Similar Zip	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
90806, CA	D+	D-	D-
93454, CA	C	D	D
10573, NY	B	C-	C-
92802, CA	B-	D	D
92591, CA	C	C-	C-
11222, NY	C	C-	C-
11357, NY	B	B+	B+
92307, CA	C+	C-	C-
91733, CA	D+	D	D
91016, CA	C	C-	C-

Considering only the crime rate, 21502 is less safe than the Maryland state average and less safe than the national average.

Safety and school performance are separate topics, but both shape moving decisions. Using SchoolGrade data, schools in 21502, MD average SchoolGrade of D, with 26% actual proficiency versus 33% projected; overall, schools underperform expectations. See 21502 schools on SchoolGrade

About the Data

CrimeGrade.org provides highly detailed and accurate crime data, used by insurance companies, home security firms, and other industries. Our data is available for licensing—learn more about our USA crime data and licensing.

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All maps and statistics above are projections, not certainties, and provided without guarantee free of charge. Verify all info before making any decisions based on the data.