PlainZIP

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
$127,813
Median income
$479,500
Median home value
61.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 Maryland average), while per-capita income is $61,404. The poverty rate stands at 8.4% and the unemployment rate at 2.6%. Median home value sits at $479,500 (7% above the state average), median rent at $2,131 a month, and owner-occupancy at 65.1%.

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. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Howard County, so you can benchmark 21046 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 21046

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Columbia, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21046.

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 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

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 21046?

37.3

Median Age

49.5%

Male

50.5%

Female

12.1%

Foreign-Born

White 50.4%
African American 31.9%
Asian 5.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.2%
Hispanic or Latino 6.2%

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

$61,404

Per Capita Income

8.4%

Poverty Rate

2.6%

Unemployment Rate

23.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21046 ranks nationally

Columbia, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$127,813 Top 7% higher than 93% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $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 75.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 61.7%

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

What does housing look like?

6,382

Total Housing Units

6,165

Occupied Units

217

Vacant Units

2.52

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 65.1%
Renter 34.9%

$479,500

Median Home Value

+7% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21046 ranks #7 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 21046 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 21046 ranks #5 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
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

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
21042 standard
Ellicott City, MD
Pop: 38,076
20723 standard
Laurel, MD
Pop: 28,972
21075 standard
Elkridge, MD
Pop: 26,344

Related Areas

Howard County Columbia, MD Maryland

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.