The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in 21538, MD: Crime Maps and Statistics

Overall Crime Grade™

Violent Crime Grade	D-
Property Crime Grade	B-
Other Crime Grade	C

Which crimes are included?

$365,860

Cost of Crime™ for 21538, MD

In 2025, crime will cost $1,145 per household.

More cost data

On the map, green marks the parts of 21538 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 21538, MD Safe?

The C overall grade blends the violent, property, and other grades shown above into one measure, set against the average US zip, where 21538's combined rate is about the same as the norm. 21538 sits in the 46th percentile, ahead of 46% of zip codes and behind 54%. The grade covers only 21538's official city boundaries. See the table below for nearby zip codes.

The overall crime rate in 21538 is 27.21 per 1,000 residents in a typical year. Residents generally consider the north part of the zip the safest. Your chance of being a victim ranges from 1 in 36 in the south areas to 1 in 37 in the north.

Counting total incidents instead of per-capita rates, the northwest parts of 21538, MD report the most crime, about 7 cases per year. The southeast part reports the fewest, around 0 per year.

The Cost of Crime™ in 21538, MD

Across all crime types, the projected cost of crime in 21538 for 2025 is $365,860, about $479 per resident and $1,145 per household. That equals 1.7% of the median household income. These figures cover tangible costs, which include:

Criminal justice system costs (law enforcement, courts, and imprisonment): 53.6%
Direct costs to victims (damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages): 34.0%
Lost economic contribution from offenders (time in prison or repeat offenses): 12.3%

How Much Does Crime Cost in 21538 Compared to Other Zip Codes?

21538, MD:	$479
21223, MD:	$1637
21012, MD:	$186
Maryland:	$531
USA:	$464

The overall cost of crime per resident in 21538 is $479 per year, which is $15 more than the national average and $52 less than Maryland's state average. The comparison below uses zip codes similar to 21538:

In 21223, MD, crime costs $1,637 per person, which is $1,158 more than in 21538.
In 21012, MD, crime costs $186 per person, which is $292 less than in 21538

2025 Projected Cost by Type of Crime

The table below shows the total cost of crime to the residents of 21538 for the year 2025 along with the projected cost per resident.

Crime	Cost to 21538	Cost per 21538 Resident
Murder	$100,048	$131
Rape/Sexual Assault	$29,682	$39
Robbery	$16,804	$22
Assault	$103,817	$136
Kidnapping	$4,746	$6
Vehicle Theft	$2,913	$4
Burglary	$24,778	$32
Theft	$33,484	$44
Arson	$2,123	$3
Vandalism	$28,088	$37
Animal Cruelty	$306	$0
Drug Crimes	$17,409	$23
Identity Theft	$1,661	$2
Total Cost of Crime	$365,860	$479

The Intangible Cost of Crime in 21538, 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 21538 totals $840,293 ($1,100 per resident), and all of it comes from violent crime rather than property loss. Added to the tangible costs, the full estimate reaches $1,206,154 ($1,579 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 zip holds few 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 do the same, and of 21538's 764 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 21538, MD at ISP Reports.

21538 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 21538 residents in a standard year.

Violent Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Assault	4.732
Robbery	0.6992
Rape	0.6408
Murder	0.0697
Total Violent Crime	6.141 (D-)

Property Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Theft	8.463
Vehicle Theft	0.2462
Burglary	3.576
Arson	0.1151
Total Property Crime	12.40 (B-)

Other Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Kidnapping	0.1025
Drug Crimes	3.080
Vandalism	5.146
Identity Theft	0.2809
Animal Cruelty	0.0542
Total "Other" Rate	8.664 (C)

Individual 21538 Crime Maps & Stats

Crime Maps and Rates for Nearby Zip Codes

Compared to surrounding zip codes, the rate of crime in 21538 is higher. The table below shows Crime Grades for zip codes close to 21538.

Nearby Zip	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
26717, WV	A-	C+	A+
21561, MD	C	C-	C+
21523, MD	C+	C	B+
26743, WV	A+	A	A+
21540, MD	D	D+	B-
26750, WV	B	B+	B+
21550, MD	D	D	C-
26739, WV	A	B+	A+
21562, MD	D+	D+	C+
26720, WV	B+	B+	A+

Crime Maps and Rates for Zip with Similar Populations

21538 is similar 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
08006, NJ	B	A-	A-
88341, NM	C	C-	C-
89310, NV	F	F	F
15337, PA	A	B+	B+
13690, NY	D+	F	F
72854, AR	D+	D+	D+
12120, NY	B+	C+	C+
10988, NY	A+	A	A
83645, ID	B	A+	A+
99008, WA	D	C-	C-

Considering only the crime rate, 21538 is safer than the Maryland state average and safer than the national average.

Safety and school performance are separate topics, but both shape moving decisions. Using SchoolGrade data, schools in 21538, MD average SchoolGrade of D+, with 29% actual proficiency versus 38% projected; overall, schools underperform expectations. See 21538 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.