Rockville, MD · standard
ZIP Code 20853
Montgomery County, Maryland — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 29,673
- 1,267/sq mi
- $159,080
- Median income
- $631,900
- Median home value
- 50.2%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Rockville pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 3%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 8%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,267
- people per sq mi
- 86%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 20853 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 20853 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 23.4 square miles in Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland. The area is home to 29,673 residents, producing a population density of 1,267 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 20853 against Maryland and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 20853 sits at $159,080 (39% above the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $56,310. The poverty rate stands at 7.2% and the unemployment rate at 4.9%. On housing, the median home value is $631,900 (41% above the state average) with median rent at $1,861 per month, and 86.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 20853 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 50.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.8, and the average commute is 32 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Montgomery County, so you can benchmark 20853 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 20853
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 20853.
- Construction
Construction
96 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
65 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
58 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
50 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 35
Other services (except public administration)
35 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 20853, Rockville, 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
29,673
Population
23.4
Area (sq mi)
1,267
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 20853?
41.8
Median Age
48.8%
Male
51.2%
Female
36.1%
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?
$159,080
Median Household Income
+39% vs state
$56,310
Per Capita Income
7.2%
Poverty Rate
4.9%
Unemployment Rate
31.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 20853 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$159,080 Top 3% higher than 97% 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?
9,998
Total Housing Units
9,692
Occupied Units
306
Vacant Units
3.26
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$631,900
Median Home Value
+41% vs state
$1,861
Median Rent
1966
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
+10.8%
YoY Change (2024)
283
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+183%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 20853 have increased 10.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +183% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.7% | 206 |
| 2021 | +9.7% | 226 |
| 2022 | +9.3% | 247 |
| 2023 | +3.4% | 255 |
| 2024 | +10.8% | 283 |
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 414 business establishments in ZIP 20853, employing approximately 3,006 people with a combined annual payroll of $143,309,000.
414
Businesses
3,006
Employees
$143.3M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 96 | 23.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 65 | 15.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 58 | 14.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 50 | 12.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 35 | 8.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 20 | 4.8% |
| Retail trade | 16 | 3.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 15 | 3.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 12 | 2.9% |
| Educational services | 12 | 2.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 10 | 2.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 9 | 2.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7 | 1.7% |
| Information | 4 | 1.0% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 0.7% |
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 20853 vs 20851 →
ZIP 20853 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 20906
Silver Spring (20906)
64,696 residents
- 20902
Silver Spring (20902)
48,841 residents
- 20850
Rockville (20850)
46,340 residents
- 20852
Rockville (20852)
40,365 residents
- 20853
Rockville (20853)
29,673 residents
- 20814
Bethesda (20814)
27,642 residents
- 20832 24,965
Olney (20832)
24,965 residents
- 20895 19,054
Kensington (20895)
19,054 residents
- 20855 14,295
Derwood (20855)
14,295 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 20853 ranks #5 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 20853 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 20896
Garrett Park (20896)
$250,001 median income
- 20895
Kensington (20895)
$173,625 median income
- 20832
Olney (20832)
$168,524 median income
- 20853
Rockville (20853)
$159,080 median income
- 20814
Bethesda (20814)
$150,996 median income
- 20855
Derwood (20855)
$149,110 median income
- 20851
Rockville (20851)
$126,411 median income
- 20850
Rockville (20850)
$125,950 median income
- 20852
Rockville (20852)
$122,472 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 20853 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20851 | Rockville, MD | 14,191 | 2.2 mi |
| 20906 | Silver Spring, MD | 64,696 | 2.3 mi |
| 20896 | Garrett Park, MD | 906 | 4.6 mi |
| 20832 | Olney, MD | 24,965 | 3.6 mi |
| 20855 | Derwood, MD | 14,295 | 3.1 mi |
| 20852 | Rockville, MD | 40,365 | 3.9 mi |
| 20895 | Kensington, MD | 19,054 | 5.3 mi |
| 20850 | Rockville, MD | 46,340 | 4.7 mi |
| 20814 | Bethesda, MD | 27,642 | 6.7 mi |
| 20902 | Silver Spring, MD | 48,841 | 4.9 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Montgomery County
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the population of ZIP code 20853? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 20853? ▼
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How many businesses are in ZIP code 20853? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 20853? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 20853? ▼
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What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 20853? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 20853? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Rockville, 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.