Columbia, MD · standard
ZIP Code 21046
Howard County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 15,080
- 747/sq mi High-density area
- $127,813
- Median income Above-median income area
- $479,500
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 61.7%
- 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 7%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 14%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 747
- people per sq mi
- 65%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21046 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 21046 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Columbia, Howard County, Maryland, home to 15,080 residents across 20.2 square miles, a density of 747 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 21046 skews affluent, with a median household income of $127,813 (12% above the average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $61,404. The poverty rate is 8.4%, with unemployment at 2.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $479,500 (7% above the average Maryland ZIP) and median rent is $2,131; 65.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 61.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.3, and the average commute is 24 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Howard County, so 21046 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 21046
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Columbia, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21046.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
356 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 101
Health care and social assistance
101 establishments
- Wholesale trade 83
Wholesale trade
83 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 78
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
78 establishments
- Finance and insurance 75
Finance and insurance
75 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 21046, 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
15,080
Population
20.2
Area (sq mi)
747
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 21046?
37.3
Median Age
49.5%
Male
50.5%
Female
12.1%
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?
$127,813
Median Household Income
+12% vs state ZIP avg
$61,404
Per Capita Income
8.4%
Poverty Rate
2.6%
Unemployment Rate
23.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 21046 ranks among Maryland ZIPs
Columbia, 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)
$127,813 Top 32% higher than 68% 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
6,382housing units
6,382
Total Housing Units
6,165
Occupied Units
217
Vacant Units
2.52
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$479,500
Median Home Value
+7% vs state ZIP avg
$2,131
Median Rent
1985
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
+0.7%
YoY Change (2024)
276
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+176%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 21046 have increased 0.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +176% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.5% | 206 |
| 2021 | +9.3% | 226 |
| 2022 | +10.9% | 250 |
| 2023 | +9.6% | 274 |
| 2024 | +0.7% | 276 |
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 1,119 business establishments in ZIP 21046, employing approximately 39,273 people with a combined annual payroll of $4,161,110,000.
1,119
Businesses
39,273
Employees
$4.2B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 356 | 31.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 101 | 9.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 83 | 7.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 78 | 7.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 75 | 6.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 75 | 6.7% |
| Construction | 66 | 5.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 50 | 4.5% |
| Information | 42 | 3.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 40 | 3.6% |
| Retail trade | 35 | 3.1% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 30 | 2.7% |
| Educational services | 29 | 2.6% |
| Manufacturing | 24 | 2.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 19 | 1.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 15 | 1.3% |
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 21046 vs 21045 →
ZIP 21046 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21044
Columbia (21044)
41,704 residents
- 21045
Columbia (21045)
38,288 residents
- 20707
Laurel (20707)
31,538 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
- 20759 3,355
Fulton (20759)
3,355 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21046 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21046 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 20759
Fulton (20759)
$250,000 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
- 20707
Laurel (20707)
$107,706 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 21046 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21045 | Columbia, MD | 38,288 | 2.4 mi |
| 20723 | Laurel, MD | 28,972 | 2.9 mi |
| 20763 | Savage, MD | 2,664 | 3.0 mi |
| 20794 | Jessup, MD | 14,098 | 3.3 mi |
| 21044 | Columbia, MD | 41,704 | 3.4 mi |
| 20701 | Annapolis Junction, MD | 2 | 4.5 mi |
| 20759 | Fulton, MD | 3,355 | 4.8 mi |
| 20724 | Laurel, MD | 16,093 | 5.4 mi |
| 20707 | Laurel, MD | 31,538 | 5.6 mi |
| 21075 | Elkridge, MD | 26,344 | 5.2 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 21046, 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 (15,080 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 21046 in?
ZIP code 21046 (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 21046?
ZIP code 21046 in Columbia, MD has a population of 15,080 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21046?
The median household income in ZIP 21046 is $127,813, which is 68% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21046?
The median home value in ZIP 21046 is $479,500, which is 72% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21046?
The largest racial group in ZIP 21046 is White at 50.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21046?
ZIP code 21046 has 1,119 business establishments employing approximately 39,273 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21046?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21046 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (356), Health care and social assistance (101), Wholesale trade (83). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21046?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21046 increased by 0.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 176%. 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 21046?
In ZIP code 21046, 75.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 61.7% 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 21046?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21046 is 23.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 21046?
In ZIP code 21046, approximately 65.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21046?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21046 is 8.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
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What to do with ZIP 21046's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 21046 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
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.