PlainZIP

Ellicott City, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21043

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

42,246
960/sq mi
$148,125
Median income
$620,900
Median home value
64.2%
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 4%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 8%
home value, US ZIPs
960
people per sq mi
67%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21043 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21043 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland, with 42,246 residents across 44.0 square miles, a density of 960 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21043 skews affluent, with a median household income of $148,125 (30% above the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $65,206. Poverty here runs at 3.9%, with unemployment measured at 3.7%. The typical home here is valued at $620,900 (39% above the state average); renters pay a median of $2,094 monthly, and 66.9% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 64.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.3, and the average commute is 28 minutes. To put 21043 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Howard 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 21043

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ellicott City, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21043.

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 21043, 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

42,246

Population

44.0

Area (sq mi)

960

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 21043?

40.3

Median Age

49.5%

Male

50.5%

Female

25.9%

Foreign-Born

White 48.8%
African American 12.9%
Asian 25.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.2%
Hispanic or Latino 6.1%

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?

$148,125

Median Household Income

+30% vs state

$65,206

Per Capita Income

3.9%

Poverty Rate

3.7%

Unemployment Rate

28.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21043 ranks nationally

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

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

$148,125 Top 4% higher than 96% 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 75.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 64.2%

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

What does housing look like?

18,133

Total Housing Units

17,568

Occupied Units

565

Vacant Units

2.74

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.9%
Renter 33.1%

$620,900

Median Home Value

+39% vs state

$2,094

Median Rent

1995

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

+5.1%

YoY Change (2024)

286

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+186%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21043 have increased 5.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +186% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.5% 207
2021 +7.0% 221
2022 +11.7% 247
2023 +10.1% 272
2024 +5.1% 286

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 1,131 business establishments in ZIP 21043, employing approximately 10,059 people with a combined annual payroll of $659,281,000.

1,131

Businesses

10,059

Employees

$659.3M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 395 34.9%
Health care and social assistance 131 11.6%
Retail trade 95 8.4%
Other services (except public administration) 81 7.2%
Accommodation and food services 78 6.9%
Finance and insurance 61 5.4%
Construction 59 5.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 57 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 49 4.3%
Wholesale trade 28 2.5%
Educational services 28 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 18 1.6%
Transportation and warehousing 17 1.5%
Information 15 1.3%
Manufacturing 10 0.9%
Management of companies and enterprises 7 0.6%

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 21043 vs 21228 →

ZIP 21043 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 21043 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 21043 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 21043 ranks #2 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
21228 Catonsville, MD 47,577 2.9 mi
21045 Columbia, MD 38,288 3.9 mi
21250 Baltimore, MD 3,205 4.6 mi
21244 Windsor Mill, MD 34,611 5.3 mi
21075 Elkridge, MD 26,344 4.5 mi
21042 Ellicott City, MD 38,076 5.2 mi
20794 Jessup, MD 14,098 7.4 mi
21046 Columbia, MD 15,080 6.3 mi
21133 Randallstown, MD 29,998 8.1 mi
21044 Columbia, MD 41,704 5.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Howard County

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
21046 standard
Columbia, MD
Pop: 15,080

Related Areas

Howard County Ellicott City, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21043 in? ▼
ZIP code 21043 (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 21043? ▼
ZIP code 21043 in Ellicott City, MD has a population of 42,246 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21043? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21043 is $148,125, which is 94% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21043? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21043 is $620,900, which is 123% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21043? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21043 is White at 48.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21043? ▼
ZIP code 21043 has 1,131 business establishments employing approximately 10,059 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21043? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21043 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (395), Health care and social assistance (131), Retail trade (95). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21043? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21043 increased by 5.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 186%. 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 21043? ▼
In ZIP code 21043, 75.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 64.2% 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 21043? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21043 is 28.1 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 21043? ▼
In ZIP code 21043, approximately 66.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21043? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21043 is 3.9% 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.