PlainZIP

Towson, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21204

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

20,253
1,297/sq mi
$99,606
Median income
$594,800
Median home value
73.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Towson pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

Top 19%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 9%
home value, US ZIPs
1,297
people per sq mi
46%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21204 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21204 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Towson, Baltimore County, Maryland, with 20,253 residents across 15.6 square miles, a density of 1,297 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21204 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $99,606 (13% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $67,450. The poverty rate stands at 14.9% and the unemployment rate at 3.7%. The typical home here is valued at $594,800 (33% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,875 monthly, and 45.7% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 73.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.8, and the average commute is 24 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Baltimore County, letting you compare 21204 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 21204

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Towson, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21204.

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 21204, Towson, 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

20,253

Population

15.6

Area (sq mi)

1,297

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 21204?

34.8

Median Age

43.7%

Male

56.3%

Female

7.8%

Foreign-Born

White 71.3%
African American 15.1%
Asian 5.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%

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?

$99,606

Median Household Income

-13% vs state

$67,450

Per Capita Income

14.9%

Poverty Rate

3.7%

Unemployment Rate

23.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21204 ranks nationally

Towson, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$99,606 Top 19% higher than 81% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $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 82.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 73.1%

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

What does housing look like?

9,588

Total Housing Units

8,747

Occupied Units

841

Vacant Units

2.05

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 45.7%
Renter 54.3%

$594,800

Median Home Value

+33% vs state

$1,875

Median Rent

1975

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

+2.8%

YoY Change (2024)

232

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+132%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21204 have increased 2.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +132% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.8% 182
2021 +6.0% 193
2022 +11.8% 215
2023 +4.7% 226
2024 +2.8% 232

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 1,419 business establishments in ZIP 21204, employing approximately 25,411 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,747,044,000.

1,419

Businesses

25,411

Employees

$1.7B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 333 23.5%
Health care and social assistance 306 21.6%
Retail trade 179 12.6%
Finance and insurance 131 9.2%
Accommodation and food services 119 8.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 94 6.6%
Other services (except public administration) 90 6.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 49 3.5%
Construction 22 1.6%
Information 20 1.4%
Educational services 20 1.4%
Wholesale trade 18 1.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 1.0%
Management of companies and enterprises 9 0.6%
Transportation and warehousing 8 0.6%
Manufacturing 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 21204 vs 21252 →

ZIP 21204 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 21204 ranks #6 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 21204 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 21204 ranks #4 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
21252 Towson, MD 2,872 1.5 mi
21093 Lutherville Timonium, MD 36,465 2.6 mi
21210 Baltimore, MD 14,292 3.1 mi
21212 Baltimore, MD 32,322 2.5 mi
21209 Baltimore, MD 26,465 2.8 mi
21286 Towson, MD 19,206 3.2 mi
21211 Baltimore, MD 17,351 5.0 mi
21239 Baltimore, MD 28,793 3.5 mi
21153 Stevenson, MD 323 4.1 mi
21217 Baltimore, MD 37,111 6.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Baltimore County

21234 standard
Parkville, MD
Pop: 69,752
21222 standard
Dundalk, MD
Pop: 55,786
21117 standard
Owings Mills, MD
Pop: 53,778
21207 standard
Gwynn Oak, MD
Pop: 48,133
21228 standard
Catonsville, MD
Pop: 47,577
21221 standard
Essex, MD
Pop: 42,154

Related Areas

Baltimore County Towson, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21204 in? ▼
ZIP code 21204 (Towson) is located in Baltimore County, Maryland. Baltimore County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/baltimore-md-24005.
What is the population of ZIP code 21204? ▼
ZIP code 21204 in Towson, MD has a population of 20,253 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21204? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21204 is $99,606, which is 31% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21204? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21204 is $594,800, which is 114% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21204? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21204 is White at 71.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21204? ▼
ZIP code 21204 has 1,419 business establishments employing approximately 25,411 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21204? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21204 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (333), Health care and social assistance (306), Retail trade (179). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21204? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21204 increased by 2.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 132%. 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 21204? ▼
In ZIP code 21204, 82.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 73.1% 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 21204? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21204 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 21204? ▼
In ZIP code 21204, approximately 45.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 54.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21204? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21204 is 14.9% 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.