PlainZIP

Frederick, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21704

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

13,321
197/sq mi
$161,063
Median income
$612,000
Median home value
57.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Frederick pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 3%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 9%
home value, US ZIPs
197
people per sq mi
82%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21704 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21704 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Frederick, Frederick County, Maryland, home to 13,321 residents across 67.8 square miles, a density of 197 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21704 skews affluent, with a median household income of $161,063 (41% above the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $59,928. Poverty here runs at 2.9%, with unemployment measured at 3.3%. Housing costs here run $612,000 for a typical home value (37% above the state average), with rent averaging $2,536 a month; 82.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 57.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.6, and the average commute is 34 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Frederick County, so you can benchmark 21704 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 21704

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Frederick, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21704.

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 21704, Frederick, 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

13,321

Population

67.8

Area (sq mi)

197

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 21704?

38.6

Median Age

53.0%

Male

47.0%

Female

23.2%

Foreign-Born

White 51.5%
African American 12.5%
Asian 18.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 14.5%
Hispanic or Latino 14.7%

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?

$161,063

Median Household Income

+41% vs state

$59,928

Per Capita Income

2.9%

Poverty Rate

3.3%

Unemployment Rate

33.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21704 ranks nationally

Frederick, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$161,063 Top 3% higher than 97% 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%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Below this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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 75.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 57.4%

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

What does housing look like?

6,257

Total Housing Units

6,136

Occupied Units

121

Vacant Units

3.21

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 82.0%
Renter 18.0%

$612,000

Median Home Value

+37% vs state

$2,536

Median Rent

2007

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

-6.3%

YoY Change (2024)

251

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+151%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21704 have decreased 6.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +151% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.3% 179
2021 +11.4% 199
2022 +12.6% 224
2023 +19.4% 268
2024 -6.3% 251

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 954 business establishments in ZIP 21704, employing approximately 16,206 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,024,625,000.

954

Businesses

16,206

Employees

$1.0B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 159 16.7%
Retail trade 133 13.9%
Construction 112 11.7%
Accommodation and food services 91 9.5%
Health care and social assistance 85 8.9%
Other services (except public administration) 81 8.5%
Wholesale trade 64 6.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 49 5.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 42 4.4%
Finance and insurance 35 3.7%
Manufacturing 29 3.0%
Transportation and warehousing 19 2.0%
Information 19 2.0%
Educational services 14 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 12 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.3%
Industries not classified 3 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 21704 vs 21717 →

ZIP 21704 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 21704 ranks #3 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 21704 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 21704 ranks #6 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
21717 Buckeystown, MD 54 3.5 mi
21754 Ijamsville, MD 6,323 3.6 mi
21705 Frederick, MD 8 4.2 mi
21703 Frederick, MD 32,854 5.1 mi
21770 Monrovia, MD 5,164 6.3 mi
20838 Barnesville, MD 259 8.8 mi
21710 Adamstown, MD 4,515 5.6 mi
21701 Frederick, MD 35,293 6.7 mi
21774 New Market, MD 11,662 6.5 mi
21793 Walkersville, MD 9,775 9.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Frederick County

21702 standard
Frederick, MD
Pop: 38,847
21701 standard
Frederick, MD
Pop: 35,293
21703 standard
Frederick, MD
Pop: 32,854
21771 standard
Mount Airy, MD
Pop: 29,563
21774 standard
New Market, MD
Pop: 11,662
21788 standard
Thurmont, MD
Pop: 11,622

Related Areas

Frederick County Frederick, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21704 in? ▼
ZIP code 21704 (Frederick) is located in Frederick County, Maryland. Frederick County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/frederick-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 21704? ▼
ZIP code 21704 in Frederick, MD has a population of 13,321 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21704? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21704 is $161,063, which is 111% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21704? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21704 is $612,000, which is 120% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21704? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21704 is White at 51.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 14.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21704? ▼
ZIP code 21704 has 954 business establishments employing approximately 16,206 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21704? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21704 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (159), Retail trade (133), Construction (112). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21704? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21704 decreased by 6.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 151%. 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 21704? ▼
In ZIP code 21704, 75.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 57.4% 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 21704? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21704 is 33.5 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 21704? ▼
In ZIP code 21704, approximately 82.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21704? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21704 is 2.9% 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.