PlainZIP

Dayton, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21036

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

2,114
130/sq mi
$218,036
Median income
$881,300
Median home value
71.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Dayton pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 1%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 3%
home value, US ZIPs
130
people per sq mi
99%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21036 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21036 covers 16.3 square miles in Dayton, Howard County, Maryland (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,114 residents on file, a density of 130 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21036 skews affluent, with a median household income of $218,036 (91% above the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $88,079. 2.2% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 7.4%. The typical home here is valued at $881,300 (97% above the state average); renters pay a median of - monthly, and 99.3% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 71.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.8, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Howard County, letting you compare 21036 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 21036

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Dayton, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21036.

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 21036, Dayton, 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

2,114

Population

16.3

Area (sq mi)

130

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 21036?

48.8

Median Age

51.6%

Male

48.4%

Female

8.0%

Foreign-Born

White 79.6%
African American 5.4%
Asian 6.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.7%
Hispanic or Latino 7.1%

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?

$218,036

Median Household Income

+91% vs state

$88,079

Per Capita Income

2.2%

Poverty Rate

7.4%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 21036 ranks nationally

Dayton, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$218,036 Top 1% higher than 99% 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%). Below this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Below this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Below this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). This entry sits in this band. 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 78.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 71.3%

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

What does housing look like?

905

Total Housing Units

882

Occupied Units

23

Vacant Units

2.86

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 99.3%
Renter 0.7%

$881,300

Median Home Value

+97% vs state

1984

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

+6.5%

YoY Change (2023)

229

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+129%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21036 have increased 6.5% over the past year (2023). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +129% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 +4.5% 183
2020 +0.2% 183
2021 +8.0% 197
2022 +9.0% 215
2023 +6.5% 229

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 49 business establishments in ZIP 21036, employing approximately 263 people with a combined annual payroll of $19,493,000.

49

Businesses

263

Employees

$19.5M

Annual Payroll

7

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 13 26.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 10 20.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 12.2%
Health care and social assistance 6 12.2%
Retail trade 3 6.1%
Finance and insurance 3 6.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 6.1%

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 21036 vs 21737 →

ZIP 21036 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 21036 ranks #7 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 21036 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 21036 ranks #7 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
21737 Glenelg, MD 1,458 1.7 mi
20862 Brinklow, MD 343 3.6 mi
21738 Glenwood, MD 3,268 3.5 mi
21029 Clarksville, MD 11,333 3.3 mi
20833 Brookeville, MD 7,735 3.4 mi
20861 Ashton, MD 1,875 5.6 mi
21794 West Friendship, MD 2,434 4.6 mi
20777 Highland, MD 3,314 4.5 mi
21723 Cooksville, MD 803 6.3 mi
20860 Sandy Spring, MD 2,396 6.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Howard County

21043 standard
Ellicott City, MD
Pop: 42,246
21044 standard
Columbia, MD
Pop: 41,704
21045 standard
Columbia, MD
Pop: 38,288
21042 standard
Ellicott City, MD
Pop: 38,076
20723 standard
Laurel, MD
Pop: 28,972
21075 standard
Elkridge, MD
Pop: 26,344

Related Areas

Howard County Dayton, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21036 in? ▼
ZIP code 21036 (Dayton) is located in Howard County, Maryland. Howard County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/howard-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 21036? ▼
ZIP code 21036 in Dayton, MD has a population of 2,114 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21036? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21036 is $218,036, which is 186% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21036? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21036 is $881,300, which is 217% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21036? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21036 is White at 79.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21036? ▼
ZIP code 21036 has 49 business establishments employing approximately 263 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21036? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21036 are: Construction (13), Professional, scientific, and technical services (10), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (6). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21036? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21036 increased by 6.5% in 2023. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 129%. 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 21036? ▼
In ZIP code 21036, 78.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 71.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 21036? ▼
In ZIP code 21036, approximately 99.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 0.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21036? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21036 is 2.2% 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.