PlainZIP

Ellicott City, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21042

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

38,076
392/sq mi
$190,061
Median income
$706,400
Median home value
72.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ellicott City pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 1%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 6%
home value, US ZIPs
392
people per sq mi
85%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21042 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21042 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland, with 38,076 residents across 97.1 square miles, a density of 392 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21042 skews affluent, with a median household income of $190,061 (67% above the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $77,643. 3.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 1.9%. Housing costs here run $706,400 for a typical home value (58% above the state average), with rent averaging $2,183 a month; 84.7% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 72.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.1, and the average commute is 29 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 21042, plus 6 more within Howard County, give a clearer read than the 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 21042

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ellicott City, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21042.

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 21042, Ellicott City, 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

38,076

Population

97.1

Area (sq mi)

392

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 21042?

45.1

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

24.9%

Foreign-Born

White 56.3%
African American 6.2%
Asian 29.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.8%
Hispanic or Latino 3.7%

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?

$190,061

Median Household Income

+67% vs state

$77,643

Per Capita Income

3.3%

Poverty Rate

1.9%

Unemployment Rate

28.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21042 ranks nationally

Ellicott City, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$190,061 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 82.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 72.9%

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

What does housing look like?

15,368

Total Housing Units

15,099

Occupied Units

269

Vacant Units

2.86

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 84.7%
Renter 15.3%

$706,400

Median Home Value

+58% vs state

$2,183

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

+4.6%

YoY Change (2024)

263

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+163%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21042 have increased 4.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +163% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.4% 197
2021 +6.4% 209
2022 +11.4% 233
2023 +7.9% 252
2024 +4.6% 263

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 1,194 business establishments in ZIP 21042, employing approximately 9,947 people with a combined annual payroll of $511,873,000.

1,194

Businesses

9,947

Employees

$511.9M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 303 25.4%
Health care and social assistance 206 17.3%
Other services (except public administration) 129 10.8%
Retail trade 109 9.1%
Accommodation and food services 105 8.8%
Construction 69 5.8%
Finance and insurance 59 4.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 59 4.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 48 4.0%
Educational services 26 2.2%
Wholesale trade 22 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 22 1.8%
Information 15 1.3%
Transportation and warehousing 11 0.9%
Manufacturing 5 0.4%
Industries not classified 3 0.3%

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 21042 vs 21044 →

ZIP 21042 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 21042 ranks #4 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 21042 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 21042 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
21044 Columbia, MD 41,704 4.2 mi
21104 Marriottsville, MD 4,601 5.5 mi
21163 Woodstock, MD 7,026 5.2 mi
21794 West Friendship, MD 2,434 4.6 mi
21043 Ellicott City, MD 42,246 5.2 mi
21029 Clarksville, MD 11,333 5.5 mi
21045 Columbia, MD 38,288 5.6 mi
21737 Glenelg, MD 1,458 6.9 mi
21738 Glenwood, MD 3,268 7.2 mi
21036 Dayton, MD 2,114 6.4 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
20723 standard
Laurel, MD
Pop: 28,972
21075 standard
Elkridge, MD
Pop: 26,344
21046 standard
Columbia, MD
Pop: 15,080

Related Areas

Howard County Ellicott City, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21042 in? ▼
ZIP code 21042 (Ellicott City) 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 21042? ▼
ZIP code 21042 in Ellicott City, MD has a population of 38,076 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21042? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21042 is $190,061, which is 149% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21042? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21042 is $706,400, which is 154% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21042? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21042 is White at 56.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21042? ▼
ZIP code 21042 has 1,194 business establishments employing approximately 9,947 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21042? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21042 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (303), Health care and social assistance (206), Other services (except public administration) (129). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21042? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21042 increased by 4.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 163%. 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 21042? ▼
In ZIP code 21042, 82.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 72.9% 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 21042? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21042 is 28.6 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 21042? ▼
In ZIP code 21042, approximately 84.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21042? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21042 is 3.3% 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.