The story of this market
The typical home in ZIP 21635 sells for about $426,633, or $215 per square foot.
Prices are up +1.2% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Homes take about 68 days to sell, which is slow. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,088 a month.
ZIP 21635 — Galena
The 21635 housing market is currently characterized by moderate price growth and high vacancy rates, reflecting its status as a quiet, rural enclave. While home values have appreciated, the market remains sensitive to broader economic shifts, with limited new development activity. Buyers should expect a slower pace of sales compared to more urbanized areas of Maryland.
This ZIP is best suited for rural-lifestyle seekers and retirees who value a quiet, small-town environment over proximity to major urban employment centers.
Median prices moved up 1.2% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 68 days on market with 5.2 months of supply — a balanced-paced market.
18% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 97.5% of asking — demand is running ahead of supply.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 3.1% · poverty 2.5% — a stable, low-distress profile.
Researched annual trajectory for this ZIP, from published historical series
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 6.4%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
Median annual property tax paid on this ZIP's residential parcels
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 6.2%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
versus the prior ACS vintage
in-migration and out-migration balanced
ZCTA 21635, Kent County MD
ACS 2024 5-year estimates. Aggregate published statistics for this ZIP — never individual records, and never an attribute of any individual property or resident.
Local schools are generally characterized as rural district offerings with moderate performance metrics typical of Kent County.
The area faces standard regional risks for flood and wind, with insurance premiums reflecting the rural, coastal-adjacent nature of the Eastern Shore.
Economic momentum is limited, with the area serving primarily as a rural residential base rather than a hub for major corporate development.
Property taxes are assessed at the county level in Kent County, with additional levies for local school and municipal services in Galena.
Commutes are primarily car-dependent, with residents traveling toward regional employment centers in Chestertown or across the bridge toward the Baltimore-Washington corridor.
The area features access to rural outdoor recreation, including local parks and proximity to the Sassafras River for boating and fishing.
The rental market shows high vacancy pressure at 14%, suggesting a soft environment for landlords despite steady demand for affordable housing.
The local economy is driven by agriculture, small-scale retail, and services, with many residents commuting to larger regional hubs.
Transportation is almost exclusively via private vehicle, with limited public transit infrastructure available in this rural ZIP.
Development is largely restricted to low-density residential projects, with no major commercial or infrastructure builds currently reported.
Kent County utilizes a standard assessment cycle with properties valued based on market comparables and state-mandated assessment schedules.
Parcels are subject to Kent County property taxes and Kent County Public Schools district levies.
Property insurance costs are influenced by the area's rural classification and proximity to coastal waterways.
Maryland operates as a judicial foreclosure state, requiring court oversight for the foreclosure process.
Maryland law requires sellers to provide a residential property disclosure statement covering the condition of the home's major systems.
Data retrieved from Census Bureau ZCTA-level tables and Data Commons.
- Frightland4.217.9 mi
- Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park4.817.7 mi
- Xbos4.113.4 mi
- Chuck E. Cheese419.9 mi
- Novus Escape Room - Middletown Delaware4.511.9 mi
- Schaefer's Canal House4.514.1 mi
- The Wellwood Restaurant4.617.7 mi
- Sandy Cove Ministries4.715.6 mi
- Frightland4.217.9 mi
- Bohemia Manor Farm4.59.5 mi
- Elk Neck State Park4.612.3 mi
- Westown Movies4.510.4 mi
- Turkey Point Lighthouse4.711.3 mi
- Mid County Lanes and Entertainment4.111.9 mi
- Charles E. Price Memorial Park4.79.1 mi
- Turkey Point Lighthouse4.711.3 mi
- Mount Harmon Plantation4.75.2 mi
- Havre De Grace Decoy Museum4.718.7 mi
- Concord Point Lighthouse Keeper's House4.818.7 mi
- Lock House Museum4.719.8 mi
- Elk Neck State Park4.612.3 mi
- Turkey Point Lighthouse4.711.3 mi
- Charles E. Price Memorial Park4.79.1 mi
- Blackbird State Forest4.710.1 mi
- Mount Harmon Plantation4.75.2 mi
- Summit North Marina Inc4.317.3 mi
- Skipjack Cove Marina4.32.9 mi
- Bohemia Bay Yacht Harbour4.810.9 mi
- Craft Haven Campground & Marina4.717 mi
- Safe Harbor Great Oak Landing4.218.7 mi
- St. Anne's Golf Links4.19.4 mi
- Frog Hollow Golf Club412.5 mi
- Dutch Country Farmer's Market4.611.9 mi
- Marshalls4.310.7 mi
- ACME Markets412.1 mi
- Willey Farms4.711.6 mi
- Kohl's4.310.7 mi
- Wilmington Airport4.327.7 mi
Theme parks, venues, golf, airports, museums, water and shopping across the area from Google Maps, ranked by popularity within the radius shown.
Provides significant recreational boating and fishing access.
Local community green space for residents.
Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.