ZIP 20906 vs ZIP 20878
Source:
Silver Spring, MD – Gaithersburg, MD
This side-by-side compares ZIP 20906 (Silver Spring, MD) and ZIP 20878 (Gaithersburg, MD) using the same Census ACS 5-Year table fields for both, no averages swapped in, no national proxies. ZIP 20906 has a population of 64,696 at 2,069 people per square mile, while ZIP 20878 has 62,446 at 1,100 per square mile. That difference in population size and density alone reshapes how every other metric should be interpreted, a higher-income ZIP with 1,200 residents behaves very differently from one with 45,000.
On income and education, ZIP 20906 reports a median household income of $97,521 against $144,313 in ZIP 20878, with per-capita income of $45,680 vs $69,431. The share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher is 42.5% in 20906 and 70.3% in 20878. Poverty rate reads 9.4% vs 5.2%, and unemployment 7.5% vs 4.0% - these four fields alone drive most of the difference in the scorecard grades you will see for each ZIP.
Housing separates these two ZIPs further: median home value sits at $455,800 in 20906 versus $715,800 in 20878, with median rent of $1,963 and $2,226 per month respectively. Homeownership rate is 66.4% vs 69.2%. When reading the comparison table below, focus on paired metrics rather than single winners, a ZIP with lower home values and lower income is not strictly "worse" if rent-to-income ratios and commute times land in the same zone. Every value is pulled from the exact same ACS table so the two columns are genuinely comparable.
Compare different ZIP codes:
| Metric | 20906 Silver Spring, MD | 20878 Gaithersburg, MD |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,696 | 62,446 |
| Median Household Income | $97,521 | $144,313 |
| Per Capita Income | $45,680 | $69,431 |
| Median Age | 41.2 | 41.4 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.5% | 70.3% |
| Poverty Rate | 9.4% | 5.2% |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5% | 4.0% |
| Median Home Value | $455,800 | $715,800 |
| Median Rent (monthly) | $1,963 | $2,226 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.4% | 69.2% |
| Population Density (per sq mi) | 2,069 | 1,100 |
Values highlighted in green indicate the better metric where applicable. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023.
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All data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2023).
PlainZIP is not affiliated with the U.S. Census Bureau or any government agency.