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 High-density area
- $218,036
- Median income Above-median income area
- $881,300
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 71.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $88,079. The poverty rate is 2.2%, with unemployment at 7.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $881,300 (97% above the average Maryland ZIP), while 99.3% of occupied homes 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 -. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Howard County, so 21036 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 21036
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Dayton, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21036.
- Construction
Construction
13 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
10 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
6 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
6 establishments
- Retail trade 3
Retail trade
3 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 21036?
48.8
Median Age
51.6%
Male
48.4%
Female
8.0%
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?
$218,036
Median Household Income
+91% vs state ZIP avg
$88,079
Per Capita Income
2.2%
Poverty Rate
7.4%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 21036 ranks among Maryland ZIPs
Dayton, 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)
$218,036 Top 5% higher than 95% 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
905housing units
905
Total Housing Units
882
Occupied Units
23
Vacant Units
2.86
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$881,300
Median Home Value
+97% vs state ZIP avg
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.
- 21029
Clarksville (21029)
11,333 residents
- 20833
Brookeville (20833)
7,735 residents
- 20777 3,314
Highland (20777)
3,314 residents
- 21738 3,268
Glenwood (21738)
3,268 residents
- 21794 2,434
West Friendship (21794)
2,434 residents
- 20860 2,396
Sandy Spring (20860)
2,396 residents
- 21036 2,114
Dayton (21036)
2,114 residents
- 20861 1,875
Ashton (20861)
1,875 residents
- 21737 1,458
Glenelg (21737)
1,458 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21036 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21036 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21737
Glenelg (21737)
$250,000 median income
- 21738
Glenwood (21738)
$250,000 median income
- 21029
Clarksville (21029)
$243,542 median income
- 21723
Cooksville (21723)
$241,250 median income
- 21794
West Friendship (21794)
$231,466 median income
- 20777
Highland (20777)
$226,146 median income
- 21036
Dayton (21036)
$218,036 median income
- 20833
Brookeville (20833)
$204,375 median income
- 20862
Brinklow (20862)
$189,667 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 21036, 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 (2,114 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Howard County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 21036's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 21036 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Dayton, MD ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.