The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in 21543, MD: Crime Maps and Statistics

C+

Overall Crime Grade™

Violent Crime Grade	C+
Property Crime Grade	C+
Other Crime Grade	C-

Which crimes are included?

$94,428

Cost of Crime™ for 21543, MD

In 2025, crime will cost $829 per household.

More cost data

On the map, green marks the parts of 21543 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 21543, 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 21543's combined rate is about the same as the norm. 21543 sits in the 46th percentile, ahead of 46% of zip codes and behind 54%. The grade covers only 21543's official city boundaries. See the table below for nearby zip codes.

The overall crime rate in 21543 is 26.93 per 1,000 residents in a typical year. Residents generally consider the southeast part of the zip the safest. Your chance of being a victim ranges from 1 in 35 in the northwest areas to 1 in 39 in the southeast.

Counting total incidents instead of per-capita rates, the northwest parts of 21543, MD report the most crime, about 2 cases per year. The southeast part reports the fewest, around 0 per year.

The Cost of Crime™ in 21543, MD

Across all crime types, the projected cost of crime in 21543 for 2025 is $94,428, about $416 per resident and $829 per household. That equals 0.8% of the median household income. These figures cover tangible costs, which include:

Criminal justice system costs (law enforcement, courts, and imprisonment): 56.3%
Direct costs to victims (damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages): 31.2%
Lost economic contribution from offenders (time in prison or repeat offenses): 12.5%

How Much Does Crime Cost in 21543 Compared to Other Zip Codes?

21543, MD:	$416
21223, MD:	$1637
21012, MD:	$186
Maryland:	$531
USA:	$464

The overall cost of crime per resident in 21543 is $416 per year, which is $48 less than the national average and $115 less than Maryland's state average. The comparison below uses zip codes similar to 21543:

In 21223, MD, crime costs $1,637 per person, which is $1,221 more than in 21543.
In 21012, MD, crime costs $186 per person, which is $230 less than in 21543

2025 Projected Cost by Type of Crime

The table below shows the total cost of crime to the residents of 21543 for the year 2025 along with the projected cost per resident.

Crime	Cost to 21543	Cost per 21543 Resident
Murder	$31,855	$140
Rape/Sexual Assault	$8,488	$37
Robbery	$5,693	$25
Assault	$9,831	$43
Kidnapping	$763	$3
Vehicle Theft	$1,686	$7
Burglary	$7,567	$33
Theft	$11,005	$48
Arson	$632	$3
Vandalism	$9,896	$44
Animal Cruelty	$101	$0
Drug Crimes	$5,911	$26
Identity Theft	$999	$4
Total Cost of Crime	$94,428	$416

The Intangible Cost of Crime in 21543, 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 21543 totals $257,219 ($1,133 per resident), and all of it comes from violent crime rather than property loss. Added to the tangible costs, the full estimate reaches $351,646 ($1,549 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 21543's 227 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 21543, MD at ISP Reports.

21543 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 21543 residents in a standard year.

Violent Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Assault	1.508
Robbery	0.7974
Rape	0.6167
Murder	0.0747
Total Violent Crime	2.997 (C+)

Property Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Theft	9.361
Vehicle Theft	0.4796
Burglary	3.675
Arson	0.1153
Total Property Crime	13.63 (C+)

Other Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Kidnapping	0.0555
Drug Crimes	3.520
Vandalism	6.102
Identity Theft	0.5684
Animal Cruelty	0.0604
Total "Other" Rate	10.31 (C-)

Individual 21543 Crime Maps & Stats

Crime Maps and Rates for Nearby Zip Codes

Compared to surrounding zip codes, the rate of crime in 21543 is lower. The table below shows Crime Grades for zip codes close to 21543.

Nearby Zip	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
21532, MD	D	D	C-
21542, MD	B-	C+	B+
21539, MD	D-	D+	D+
21545, MD	D+	D	C-
21521, MD	D+	D+	C-
15564, PA	A-	A	B
21557, MD	D	D	C-
21524, MD	D+	C+	D+
21502, MD	D	D+	D+
15532, PA	A+	B+	A+

Crime Maps and Rates for Zip with Similar Populations

21543 is lower 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
99682, AK	F	F	F
12856, NY	A+	B	B
97134, OR	B-	B	B
11252, NY	F	F	F
16850, PA	A	B	B
15841, PA	A-	A-	A-
62085, IL	B	A	A
62517, IL	D-	A-	A-
61940, IL	A-	B+	B+
64072, MO	C-	C-	C-

Considering only the crime rate, 21543 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 21543, MD average SchoolGrade of C, with 35% actual proficiency versus 40% projected; overall, schools don't meet expectations. See 21543 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.