Dickerson, MD · standard
ZIP Code 20842
Montgomery County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,824
- 13/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $204,013
- Median income Above-median income area
- $745,800
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 52.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Dickerson pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 1%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 5%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 13
- people per sq mi
- 82%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 20842 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 20842 covers 138.2 square miles in Dickerson, Montgomery County, Maryland (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,824 residents on file, a density of 13 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 20842 skews affluent, with a median household income of $204,013 (79% above the average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $82,106. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 1.2% and unemployment is 0.5%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $745,800 (67% above the average Maryland ZIP), while 82.4% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,777.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 52.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.5, and the average commute is 41 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Montgomery County, so 20842 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 20842
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Dickerson, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 20842.
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
18 establishments
- Construction
Construction
9 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 7
Professional, scientific, and technical services
7 establishments
- Manufacturing 5
Manufacturing
5 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 4
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 20842, Dickerson, 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
1,824
Population
138.2
Area (sq mi)
13
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 20842?
48.5
Median Age
48.5%
Male
51.5%
Female
17.9%
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?
$204,013
Median Household Income
+79% vs state ZIP avg
$82,106
Per Capita Income
1.2%
Poverty Rate
0.5%
Unemployment Rate
41.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 20842 ranks among Maryland ZIPs
Dickerson, 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)
$204,013 Top 6% higher than 94% 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
855housing units
855
Total Housing Units
802
Occupied Units
53
Vacant Units
2.95
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$745,800
Median Home Value
+67% vs state ZIP avg
$1,777
Median Rent
1979
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
+4.0%
YoY Change (2023)
199
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+99%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 20842 have increased 4.0% over the past year (2023). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +99% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | -0.4% | 158 |
| 2020 | +1.6% | 160 |
| 2021 | +5.3% | 169 |
| 2022 | +13.4% | 192 |
| 2023 | +4.0% | 199 |
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 2023. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 61 business establishments in ZIP 20842, employing approximately 444 people with a combined annual payroll of $29,284,000.
61
Businesses
444
Employees
$29.3M
Annual Payroll
5
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 18 | 29.5% |
| Construction | 9 | 14.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 7 | 11.5% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 8.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 6.6% |
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 20842 vs 20839 →
ZIP 20842 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 20176
Leesburg (20176)
46,506 residents
- 20871 13,130
Clarksburg (20871)
13,130 residents
- 20841 10,460
Boyds (20841)
10,460 residents
- 20837 5,789
Poolesville (20837)
5,789 residents
- 21710 4,515
Adamstown (21710)
4,515 residents
- 20842 1,824
Dickerson (20842)
1,824 residents
- 21777 1,470
Point Of Rocks (21777)
1,470 residents
- 20838 259
Barnesville (20838)
259 residents
- 20839 214
Beallsville (20839)
214 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 20842 ranks #6 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 20842 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 20838
Barnesville (20838)
$250,000 median income
- 20842
Dickerson (20842)
$204,013 median income
- 20841
Boyds (20841)
$184,688 median income
- 20871
Clarksburg (20871)
$177,523 median income
- 20837
Poolesville (20837)
$174,063 median income
- 20176
Leesburg (20176)
$168,299 median income
- 21710
Adamstown (21710)
$163,864 median income
- 20839
Beallsville (20839)
$160,329 median income
- 21777
Point Of Rocks (21777)
$159,708 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 20842 ranks #2 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20839 | Beallsville, MD | 214 | 1.9 mi |
| 20838 | Barnesville, MD | 259 | 3.0 mi |
| 21710 | Adamstown, MD | 4,515 | 6.2 mi |
| 21790 | Tuscarora, MD | 100 | 4.9 mi |
| 20837 | Poolesville, MD | 5,789 | 6.9 mi |
| 20841 | Boyds, MD | 10,460 | 5.7 mi |
| 21717 | Buckeystown, MD | 54 | 8.7 mi |
| 20176 | Leesburg, VA | 46,506 | 6.2 mi |
| 21777 | Point Of Rocks, MD | 1,470 | 6.5 mi |
| 20871 | Clarksburg, MD | 13,130 | 8.4 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 20842, 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 (1,824 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Montgomery County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 20842 in?
ZIP code 20842 (Dickerson) is located in Montgomery County, Maryland. Montgomery County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/montgomery-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 20842?
ZIP code 20842 in Dickerson, MD has a population of 1,824 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 20842?
The median household income in ZIP 20842 is $204,013, which is 167% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 20842?
The median home value in ZIP 20842 is $745,800, which is 168% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 20842?
The largest racial group in ZIP 20842 is White at 66.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 15.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 20842?
ZIP code 20842 has 61 business establishments employing approximately 444 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 20842?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 20842 are: Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (18), Construction (9), Professional, scientific, and technical services (7). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 20842?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 20842 increased by 4.0% in 2023. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 99%. 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 20842?
In ZIP code 20842, 73.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 52.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 20842?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 20842 is 41.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 20842?
In ZIP code 20842, approximately 82.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 20842?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 20842 is 1.2% 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 20842's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 20842 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Dickerson, MD ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.