PlainZIP

Germantown, MD · standard

ZIP Code 20874

Montgomery County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

57,367
1,040/sq mi
$115,022
Median income
$399,000
Median home value
48.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Germantown pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated and unusually populous area.

Top 11%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 21%
home value, US ZIPs
1,040
people per sq mi
66%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 20874 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 20874 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Germantown, Montgomery County, Maryland, with 57,367 residents across 55.2 square miles, a density of 1,040 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 20874 skews affluent, with a median household income of $115,022 (1% above the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $52,219. 8.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.1%. Housing costs here run $399,000 for a typical home value (11% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,995 a month; 66.4% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 48.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.6, and the average commute is 31 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Montgomery County, so you can benchmark 20874 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 20874

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Germantown, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 20874.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 20874, Germantown, 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

57,367

Population

55.2

Area (sq mi)

1,040

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 20874?

37.6

Median Age

49.0%

Male

51.0%

Female

37.1%

Foreign-Born

White 28.7%
African American 27.1%
Asian 18.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 15.3%
Hispanic or Latino 22.0%

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?

$115,022

Median Household Income

+1% vs state

$52,219

Per Capita Income

8.3%

Poverty Rate

5.1%

Unemployment Rate

30.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 20874 ranks nationally

Germantown, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$115,022 Top 11% higher than 89% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. 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 67.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 48.9%

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

What does housing look like?

23,124

Total Housing Units

22,662

Occupied Units

462

Vacant Units

2.77

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.4%
Renter 33.6%

$399,000

Median Home Value

-11% vs state

$1,995

Median Rent

1989

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

+5.5%

YoY Change (2024)

273

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+173%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 20874 have increased 5.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +173% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.1% 198
2021 +10.0% 218
2022 +9.7% 240
2023 +8.0% 259
2024 +5.5% 273

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 920 business establishments in ZIP 20874, employing approximately 11,825 people with a combined annual payroll of $885,348,000.

920

Businesses

11,825

Employees

$885.3M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 195 21.2%
Health care and social assistance 157 17.1%
Accommodation and food services 94 10.2%
Retail trade 89 9.7%
Other services (except public administration) 81 8.8%
Construction 72 7.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 51 5.5%
Finance and insurance 36 3.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 32 3.5%
Transportation and warehousing 24 2.6%
Educational services 22 2.4%
Information 21 2.3%
Wholesale trade 18 2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 1.5%
Manufacturing 7 0.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 5 0.5%

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 20874 vs 20878 →

ZIP 20874 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 20874 ranks #2 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 20874 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 20874 ranks #8 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
20878 Gaithersburg, MD 62,446 2.7 mi
20841 Boyds, MD 10,460 4.4 mi
20899 Gaithersburg, MD 142 4.5 mi
20877 Gaithersburg, MD 34,321 5.9 mi
22066 Great Falls, VA 18,099 8.3 mi
20837 Poolesville, MD 5,789 6.0 mi
20880 Washington Grove, MD 450 6.7 mi
20876 Germantown, MD 25,496 6.4 mi
20871 Clarksburg, MD 13,130 9.1 mi
20886 Montgomery Village, MD 33,282 6.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Montgomery County

20906 standard
Silver Spring, MD
Pop: 64,696
20878 standard
Gaithersburg, MD
Pop: 62,446
20904 standard
Silver Spring, MD
Pop: 54,612
20854 standard
Potomac, MD
Pop: 49,611
20902 standard
Silver Spring, MD
Pop: 48,841
20850 standard
Rockville, MD
Pop: 46,340

Related Areas

Montgomery County Germantown, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 20874 in? ▼
ZIP code 20874 (Germantown) 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 20874? ▼
ZIP code 20874 in Germantown, MD has a population of 57,367 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 20874? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 20874 is $115,022, which is 51% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 20874? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 20874 is $399,000, which is 43% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 20874? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 20874 is White at 28.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 22.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 20874? ▼
ZIP code 20874 has 920 business establishments employing approximately 11,825 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 20874? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 20874 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (195), Health care and social assistance (157), Accommodation and food services (94). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 20874? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 20874 increased by 5.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 173%. 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 20874? ▼
In ZIP code 20874, 67.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 48.9% 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 20874? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 20874 is 30.8 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 20874? ▼
In ZIP code 20874, approximately 66.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 20874? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 20874 is 8.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

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