PlainZIP

Gaithersburg, MD · standard

ZIP Code 20878

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

62,446
1,100/sq mi
$144,313
Median income
$715,800
Median home value
70.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Gaithersburg pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated and unusually populous area.

Top 5%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 6%
home value, US ZIPs
1,100
people per sq mi
69%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 20878 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 20878 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Gaithersburg, Montgomery County, Maryland, with 62,446 residents across 56.7 square miles, a density of 1,100 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 20878 skews affluent, with a median household income of $144,313 (26% above the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $69,431. The poverty rate stands at 5.2% and the unemployment rate at 4.0%. Housing costs here run $715,800 for a typical home value (60% above the state average), with rent averaging $2,226 a month; 69.2% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 70.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.4, and the average commute is 29 minutes. To put 20878 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Montgomery County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 20878

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Gaithersburg, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 20878.

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 20878, Gaithersburg, 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

62,446

Population

56.7

Area (sq mi)

1,100

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 20878?

41.4

Median Age

47.9%

Male

52.1%

Female

37.6%

Foreign-Born

White 45.5%
African American 10.4%
Asian 27.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.6%
Hispanic or Latino 14.2%

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?

$144,313

Median Household Income

+26% vs state

$69,431

Per Capita Income

5.2%

Poverty Rate

4.0%

Unemployment Rate

29.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 20878 ranks nationally

Gaithersburg, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$144,313 Top 5% higher than 95% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 80.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 70.3%

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

What does housing look like?

25,127

Total Housing Units

24,237

Occupied Units

890

Vacant Units

2.72

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 69.2%
Renter 30.8%

$715,800

Median Home Value

+60% vs state

$2,226

Median Rent

1987

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

+6.6%

YoY Change (2024)

282

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+182%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 20878 have increased 6.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +182% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.9% 206
2021 +8.3% 223
2022 +11.2% 248
2023 +6.8% 265
2024 +6.6% 282

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 2,087 business establishments in ZIP 20878, employing approximately 23,732 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,042,731,000.

2,087

Businesses

23,732

Employees

$2.0B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 515 24.7%
Management of companies and enterprises 332 15.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 214 10.3%
Health care and social assistance 164 7.9%
Accommodation and food services 159 7.6%
Retail trade 132 6.3%
Other services (except public administration) 118 5.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 91 4.4%
Construction 89 4.3%
Finance and insurance 71 3.4%
Wholesale trade 47 2.3%
Information 40 1.9%
Educational services 40 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 32 1.5%
Manufacturing 21 1.0%
Transportation and warehousing 21 1.0%

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 20878 vs 20874 →

ZIP 20878 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 20878 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 20878 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 20878 ranks #3 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
20874 Germantown, MD 57,367 2.7 mi
20899 Gaithersburg, MD 142 2.9 mi
20877 Gaithersburg, MD 34,321 3.9 mi
20850 Rockville, MD 46,340 4.1 mi
20880 Washington Grove, MD 450 4.6 mi
20854 Potomac, MD 49,611 5.7 mi
20876 Germantown, MD 25,496 6.7 mi
20886 Montgomery Village, MD 33,282 5.6 mi
20879 Gaithersburg, MD 24,360 5.6 mi
20855 Derwood, MD 14,295 6.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Montgomery County

20906 standard
Silver Spring, MD
Pop: 64,696
20874 standard
Germantown, MD
Pop: 57,367
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 Gaithersburg, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 20878 in? ▼
ZIP code 20878 (Gaithersburg) 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 20878? ▼
ZIP code 20878 in Gaithersburg, MD has a population of 62,446 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 20878? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 20878 is $144,313, which is 89% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 20878? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 20878 is $715,800, which is 157% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 20878? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 20878 is White at 45.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 14.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 20878? ▼
ZIP code 20878 has 2,087 business establishments employing approximately 23,732 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 20878? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 20878 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (515), Management of companies and enterprises (332), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (214). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 20878? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 20878 increased by 6.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 182%. 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 20878? ▼
In ZIP code 20878, 80.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 70.3% 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 20878? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 20878 is 29.4 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 20878? ▼
In ZIP code 20878, approximately 69.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 20878? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 20878 is 5.2% 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.