PlainZIP

West River, MD · standard

ZIP Code 20778

Anne Arundel County, Maryland — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

2,009
99/sq mi
$205,974
Median income
$716,500
Median home value
49.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

West River pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 1%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 6%
home value, US ZIPs
99
people per sq mi
100%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 20778 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 20778 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 20.3 square miles in West River, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The area is home to 2,009 residents, producing a population density of 99 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 20778 against Maryland and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 20778 sits at $205,974 (80% above the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $66,972. The poverty rate stands at 0.8% and the unemployment rate at 2.3%. On housing, the median home value is $716,500 (60% above the state average) with median rent at — per month, and 100.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 20778 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 49.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.7, and the average commute is —. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Anne Arundel County, so you can benchmark 20778 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 20778

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 20778.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 20778, West River, 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

2,009

Population

20.3

Area (sq mi)

99

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 20778?

47.7

Median Age

50.1%

Male

49.9%

Female

5.6%

Foreign-Born

White 84.2%
African American 4.1%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.3%

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?

$205,974

Median Household Income

+80% vs state

$66,972

Per Capita Income

0.8%

Poverty Rate

2.3%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 20778 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$205,974 Top 1% higher than 99% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Below this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Below this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Below this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). This entry sits in this band. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 76.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 49.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

747

Total Housing Units

729

Occupied Units

18

Vacant Units

3.03

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 100.0%
Renter 0.0%

$716,500

Median Home Value

+60% vs state

1990

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

+8.1%

YoY Change (2024)

252

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+152%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 20778 have increased 8.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +152% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 +6.7% 187
2020 -1.6% 184
2021 +7.3% 198
2022 +8.1% 214
2024 — 252

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 44 business establishments in ZIP 20778, employing approximately 373 people with a combined annual payroll of $19,559,000.

44

Businesses

373

Employees

$19.6M

Annual Payroll

5

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 9 20.4%
Health care and social assistance 8 18.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 6 13.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 13.6%
Other services (except public administration) 4 9.1%

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 20778 vs 20765 →

ZIP 20778 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 20778 ranks #8 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 20778 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 20778 ranks #2 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
20765 Galesville, MD 514 1.2 mi
20751 Deale, MD 2,343 2.9 mi
20764 Shady Side, MD 4,176 2.9 mi
20733 Churchton, MD 2,672 2.8 mi
20776 Harwood, MD 3,289 3.3 mi
20779 Tracys Landing, MD 1,182 5.0 mi
21037 Edgewater, MD 20,618 5.5 mi
20711 Lothian, MD 6,643 5.2 mi
20758 Friendship, MD 721 7.3 mi
21140 Riva, MD 3,457 7.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Anne Arundel County

21122 standard
Pasadena, MD
Pop: 60,576
21061 standard
Glen Burnie, MD
Pop: 53,684
21401 standard
Annapolis, MD
Pop: 36,012
21144 standard
Severn, MD
Pop: 31,884
21113 standard
Odenton, MD
Pop: 30,469
21403 standard
Annapolis, MD
Pop: 30,269

Related Areas

Anne Arundel County West River, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 20778 in? ▼
ZIP code 20778 (West River) is located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Anne Arundel County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/anne-arundel-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 20778? ▼
ZIP code 20778 in West River, MD has a population of 2,009 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 20778? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 20778 is $205,974, which is 170% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 20778? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 20778 is $716,500, which is 158% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 20778? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 20778 is White at 84.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 20778? ▼
ZIP code 20778 has 44 business establishments employing approximately 373 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 20778? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 20778 are: Construction (9), Health care and social assistance (8), Professional, scientific, and technical services (6). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 20778? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 20778 increased by 8.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 152%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 20778? ▼
In ZIP code 20778, 76.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 49.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 20778? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 20778 is 0.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for West River, MD

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.