Westminster, MD · standard
ZIP Code 21157
Carroll County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 36,920
- 186/sq mi High-density area
- $104,966
- Median income Above-median income area
- $424,100
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 37.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Westminster pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 16%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 18%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 186
- people per sq mi
- 77%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21157 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 21157 (Westminster, MD) rose +8.9% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 233.9 in 2023 to 254.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 21157 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Westminster, Carroll County, Maryland, with 36,920 residents across 198.6 square miles, a density of 186 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 21157 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $104,966 (8% below the average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $49,793. The poverty rate is 6.7%, with unemployment at 4.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $424,100 (5% below the average Maryland ZIP) and median rent is $1,331; 76.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 37.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.2, and the average commute is 31 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Carroll County, so 21157 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 21157
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Westminster, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21157.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
210 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
161 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
156 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
153 establishments
- Construction
Construction
150 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 21157, Westminster, 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
36,920
Population
198.6
Area (sq mi)
186
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 21157?
43.2
Median Age
48.1%
Male
51.9%
Female
5.9%
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?
$104,966
Median Household Income
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$49,793
Per Capita Income
6.7%
Poverty Rate
4.1%
Unemployment Rate
31.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 21157 ranks nationally
Westminster, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$104,966 Top 16% higher than 84% 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
15,471housing units
15,471
Total Housing Units
14,785
Occupied Units
686
Vacant Units
2.48
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$424,100
Median Home Value
-5% vs state ZIP avg
$1,331
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
+8.9%
YoY Change (2024)
255
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+155%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 21157 have increased 8.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +155% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.7% | 180 |
| 2021 | +11.0% | 200 |
| 2022 | +9.9% | 220 |
| 2023 | +6.5% | 234 |
| 2024 | +8.9% | 255 |
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 1,303 business establishments in ZIP 21157, employing approximately 20,132 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,064,700,000.
1,303
Businesses
20,132
Employees
$1.1B
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 210 | 16.1% |
| Retail trade | 161 | 12.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 156 | 12.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 153 | 11.7% |
| Construction | 150 | 11.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 92 | 7.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 71 | 5.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 62 | 4.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 57 | 4.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 48 | 3.7% |
| Manufacturing | 41 | 3.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 37 | 2.8% |
| Information | 23 | 1.8% |
| Educational services | 20 | 1.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 12 | 0.9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 6 | 0.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 0.2% |
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 21157 vs 21048 →
ZIP 21157 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21784
Sykesville (21784)
37,941 residents
- 21157
Westminster (21157)
36,920 residents
- 21158
Westminster (21158)
20,234 residents
- 21074 15,084
Hampstead (21074)
15,084 residents
- 21102 11,751
Manchester (21102)
11,751 residents
- 21048 10,650
Finksburg (21048)
10,650 residents
- 21776 5,735
New Windsor (21776)
5,735 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21157 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21157 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21784
Sykesville (21784)
$139,395 median income
- 21102
Manchester (21102)
$135,069 median income
- 21776
New Windsor (21776)
$133,409 median income
- 21048
Finksburg (21048)
$131,921 median income
- 21158
Westminster (21158)
$109,827 median income
- 21074
Hampstead (21074)
$108,536 median income
- 21157
Westminster (21157)
$104,966 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 21157 ranks #7 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 21157, 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 (36,920 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Carroll County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 21157 in?
ZIP code 21157 (Westminster) is located in Carroll County, Maryland. Carroll County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/carroll-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 21157?
ZIP code 21157 in Westminster, MD has a population of 36,920 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21157?
The median household income in ZIP 21157 is $104,966, which is 38% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21157?
The median home value in ZIP 21157 is $424,100, which is 52% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21157?
The largest racial group in ZIP 21157 is White at 85.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21157?
ZIP code 21157 has 1,303 business establishments employing approximately 20,132 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21157?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21157 are: Health care and social assistance (210), Retail trade (161), Other services (except public administration) (156). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21157?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21157 increased by 8.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 155%. 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 21157?
In ZIP code 21157, 67.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 37.9% 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 21157?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21157 is 31.0 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 21157?
In ZIP code 21157, approximately 76.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21157?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21157 is 6.7% 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 21157's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 21157 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Westminster, 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.