Columbia, MD · standard
ZIP Code 21045
Howard County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 38,288
- 1,523/sq mi High-density area
- $118,563
- Median income Above-median income area
- $453,700
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 56.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Columbia pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 10%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 16%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,523
- people per sq mi
- 68%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21045 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 21045 (Columbia, MD) rose +4.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 281.6 in 2023 to 292.9 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 21045 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Columbia, Howard County, Maryland, with 38,288 residents across 25.1 square miles, a density of 1,523 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 21045 skews affluent, with a median household income of $118,563 (4% above the average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $56,185. The poverty rate is 8.6%, with unemployment at 5.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $453,700 (1% above the average Maryland ZIP) and median rent is $1,777; 68.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 56.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.6, and the average commute is 27 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Howard County, so 21045 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 21045
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Columbia, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21045.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
293 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
248 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
136 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
130 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 114
Other services (except public administration)
114 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 21045, Columbia, 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
38,288
Population
25.1
Area (sq mi)
1,523
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 21045?
39.6
Median Age
48.0%
Male
52.0%
Female
22.1%
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?
$118,563
Median Household Income
+4% vs state ZIP avg
$56,185
Per Capita Income
8.6%
Poverty Rate
5.3%
Unemployment Rate
27.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 21045 ranks nationally
Columbia, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$118,563 Top 10% higher than 90% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
15,780housing units
15,780
Total Housing Units
15,414
Occupied Units
366
Vacant Units
2.59
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$453,700
Median Home Value
+1% vs state ZIP avg
$1,777
Median Rent
1978
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
+4.0%
YoY Change (2024)
293
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+193%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 21045 have increased 4.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +193% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.8% | 211 |
| 2021 | +7.8% | 227 |
| 2022 | +14.3% | 260 |
| 2023 | +8.3% | 282 |
| 2024 | +4.0% | 293 |
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 1,410 business establishments in ZIP 21045, employing approximately 22,695 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,422,511,000.
1,410
Businesses
22,695
Employees
$1.4B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 293 | 20.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 248 | 17.6% |
| Retail trade | 136 | 9.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 130 | 9.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 114 | 8.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 94 | 6.7% |
| Construction | 76 | 5.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 61 | 4.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 55 | 3.9% |
| Educational services | 46 | 3.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 44 | 3.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 43 | 3.0% |
| Information | 24 | 1.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 22 | 1.6% |
| Manufacturing | 20 | 1.4% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 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 21045 vs 21046 →
ZIP 21045 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21043
Ellicott City (21043)
42,246 residents
- 21044
Columbia (21044)
41,704 residents
- 21045
Columbia (21045)
38,288 residents
- 20723
Laurel (20723)
28,972 residents
- 21075
Elkridge (21075)
26,344 residents
- 20724 16,093
Laurel (20724)
16,093 residents
- 21046 15,080
Columbia (21046)
15,080 residents
- 20794 14,098
Jessup (20794)
14,098 residents
- 21029 11,333
Clarksville (21029)
11,333 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21045 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21045 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21029
Clarksville (21029)
$243,542 median income
- 21043
Ellicott City (21043)
$148,125 median income
- 20723
Laurel (20723)
$138,113 median income
- 21075
Elkridge (21075)
$135,303 median income
- 21044
Columbia (21044)
$135,057 median income
- 21046
Columbia (21046)
$127,813 median income
- 21045
Columbia (21045)
$118,563 median income
- 20724
Laurel (20724)
$118,115 median income
- 20794
Jessup (20794)
$116,406 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 21045 ranks #7 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21046 | Columbia, MD | 15,080 | 2.4 mi |
| 21044 | Columbia, MD | 41,704 | 3.0 mi |
| 21075 | Elkridge, MD | 26,344 | 4.1 mi |
| 21043 | Ellicott City, MD | 42,246 | 3.9 mi |
| 20763 | Savage, MD | 2,664 | 5.0 mi |
| 20794 | Jessup, MD | 14,098 | 4.4 mi |
| 20723 | Laurel, MD | 28,972 | 5.2 mi |
| 20701 | Annapolis Junction, MD | 2 | 6.0 mi |
| 21029 | Clarksville, MD | 11,333 | 6.7 mi |
| 20724 | Laurel, MD | 16,093 | 7.4 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 21045, 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 (38,288 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 21045 in?
ZIP code 21045 (Columbia) 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 21045?
ZIP code 21045 in Columbia, MD has a population of 38,288 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21045?
The median household income in ZIP 21045 is $118,563, which is 55% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21045?
The median home value in ZIP 21045 is $453,700, which is 63% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21045?
The largest racial group in ZIP 21045 is White at 40.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21045?
ZIP code 21045 has 1,410 business establishments employing approximately 22,695 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21045?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21045 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (293), Health care and social assistance (248), Retail trade (136). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21045?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21045 increased by 4.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 193%. 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 21045?
In ZIP code 21045, 71.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 56.6% 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 21045?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21045 is 27.3 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 21045?
In ZIP code 21045, approximately 68.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21045?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21045 is 8.6% 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 21045's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 21045 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Columbia, 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.