Waldorf, MD · standard
ZIP Code 20603
Charles County, Maryland — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 28,967
- 655/sq mi
- $137,946
- Median income
- $453,700
- Median home value
- 39.9%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Waldorf pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 5%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 16%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 655
- people per sq mi
- 84%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 20603 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 20603 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 44.2 square miles in Waldorf, Charles County, Maryland. The area is home to 28,967 residents, producing a population density of 655 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 20603 against Maryland and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 20603 sits at $137,946 (21% above the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $57,744. The poverty rate stands at 4.4% and the unemployment rate at 4.8%. On housing, the median home value is $453,700 (1% above the state average) with median rent at $2,024 per month, and 83.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 20603 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 39.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.4, and the average commute is 41 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Charles County, so you can benchmark 20603 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 20603
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 20603.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
135 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
78 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
65 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 47
Other services (except public administration)
47 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 40
Professional, scientific, and technical services
40 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 20603, Waldorf, MD · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
28,967
Population
44.2
Area (sq mi)
655
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 20603?
38.4
Median Age
47.4%
Male
52.6%
Female
11.2%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$137,946
Median Household Income
+21% vs state
$57,744
Per Capita Income
4.4%
Poverty Rate
4.8%
Unemployment Rate
40.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 20603 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$137,946 Top 5% higher than 95% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
11,843
Total Housing Units
11,324
Occupied Units
519
Vacant Units
2.81
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$453,700
Median Home Value
+1% vs state
$2,024
Median Rent
1997
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+13.0%
YoY Change (2024)
287
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+187%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 20603 have increased 13.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +187% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +4.2% | 166 |
| 2020 | +8.3% | 180 |
| 2021 | +10.8% | 200 |
| 2022 | +13.0% | 225 |
| 2024 | — | 287 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 479 business establishments in ZIP 20603, employing approximately 6,625 people with a combined annual payroll of $208,753,000.
479
Businesses
6,625
Employees
$208.8M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 135 | 28.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 78 | 16.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 65 | 13.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 47 | 9.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 40 | 8.3% |
| Construction | 30 | 6.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 16 | 3.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 15 | 3.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 14 | 2.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 10 | 2.1% |
| Information | 8 | 1.7% |
| Educational services | 7 | 1.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 7 | 1.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 0.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 20603 vs 20695 →
ZIP 20603 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 20744
Fort Washington (20744)
50,722 residents
- 20735
Clinton (20735)
35,421 residents
- 20603
Waldorf (20603)
28,967 residents
- 20602
Waldorf (20602)
24,955 residents
- 20601
Waldorf (20601)
24,156 residents
- 20646 18,890
La Plata (20646)
18,890 residents
- 22308 12,737
Alexandria (22308)
12,737 residents
- 20607 9,802
Accokeek (20607)
9,802 residents
- 20695 6,794
White Plains (20695)
6,794 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 20603 ranks #3 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 20603 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 22308
Alexandria (22308)
$212,545 median income
- 20607
Accokeek (20607)
$151,427 median income
- 20695
White Plains (20695)
$141,959 median income
- 20603
Waldorf (20603)
$137,946 median income
- 20646
La Plata (20646)
$131,974 median income
- 20616
Bryans Road (20616)
$128,177 median income
- 20675
Pomfret (20675)
$127,269 median income
- 20735
Clinton (20735)
$126,196 median income
- 20744
Fort Washington (20744)
$124,190 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 20603 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20695 | White Plains, MD | 6,794 | 2.6 mi |
| 20607 | Accokeek, MD | 9,802 | 3.8 mi |
| 20675 | Pomfret, MD | 1,671 | 4.1 mi |
| 20602 | Waldorf, MD | 24,955 | 5.5 mi |
| 20646 | La Plata, MD | 18,890 | 7.5 mi |
| 20744 | Fort Washington, MD | 50,722 | 8.6 mi |
| 20616 | Bryans Road, MD | 5,857 | 6.3 mi |
| 20601 | Waldorf, MD | 24,156 | 6.9 mi |
| 22308 | Alexandria, VA | 12,737 | 8.3 mi |
| 20735 | Clinton, MD | 35,421 | 9.2 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Charles County
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Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 20603 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 20603? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 20603? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 20603? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 20603? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 20603? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 20603? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 20603? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 20603? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 20603? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 20603? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 20603? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Waldorf, MD
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.