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 Moderate-density area
- $205,974
- Median income Above-median income area
- $716,500
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 49.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 covers 20.3 square miles in West River, Anne Arundel County, Maryland (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,009 residents on file, a density of 99 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 20778 skews affluent, with a median household income of $205,974 (80% above the average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $66,972. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 0.8% and unemployment is 2.3%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $716,500 (60% above the average Maryland ZIP), while 100.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 49.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.7, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Anne Arundel County, so 20778 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 20778
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in West River, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 20778.
- Construction
Construction
9 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
8 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
6 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
6 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
4 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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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
Who lives in ZIP 20778?
47.7
Median Age
50.1%
Male
49.9%
Female
5.6%
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?
$205,974
Median Household Income
+80% vs state ZIP avg
$66,972
Per Capita Income
0.8%
Poverty Rate
2.3%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 20778 ranks among Maryland ZIPs
West River, MD household income vs. every Maryland ZIP code
Median household income among 419 reporting Maryland ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$205,974 Top 5% higher than 95% of 419 Maryland ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Maryland 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
747housing units
747
Total Housing Units
729
Occupied Units
18
Vacant Units
3.03
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$716,500
Median Home Value
+60% vs state ZIP avg
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.
- 21037
Edgewater (21037)
20,618 residents
- 20711 6,643
Lothian (20711)
6,643 residents
- 20764 4,176
Shady Side (20764)
4,176 residents
- 21140 3,457
Riva (21140)
3,457 residents
- 20776 3,289
Harwood (20776)
3,289 residents
- 20733 2,672
Churchton (20733)
2,672 residents
- 20751 2,343
Deale (20751)
2,343 residents
- 20778 2,009
West River (20778)
2,009 residents
- 20779 1,182
Tracys Landing (20779)
1,182 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 20778 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 20778 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 20758
Friendship (20758)
$240,847 median income
- 20778
West River (20778)
$205,974 median income
- 20779
Tracys Landing (20779)
$178,452 median income
- 21140
Riva (21140)
$170,156 median income
- 20765
Galesville (20765)
$149,545 median income
- 20776
Harwood (20776)
$149,300 median income
- 21037
Edgewater (21037)
$145,787 median income
- 20733
Churchton (20733)
$126,797 median income
- 20751
Deale (20751)
$123,951 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 20778, both outside MD so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (2,009 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Anne Arundel County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 20778's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 20778 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where West River, MD ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.