PlainZIP

Hagerstown, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21742

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

31,444
241/sq mi
$86,288
Median income
$304,800
Median home value
31.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Hagerstown pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 31%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 33%
home value, US ZIPs
241
people per sq mi
69%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21742 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21742 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland, with 31,444 residents across 130.7 square miles, a density of 241 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21742 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $86,288 (24% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $43,456. 12.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.7%. Housing costs here run $304,800 for a typical home value (32% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,351 a month; 69.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 31.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.7, and the average commute is 27 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Washington County, letting you compare 21742 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 21742

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hagerstown, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21742.

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 21742, Hagerstown, 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

31,444

Population

130.7

Area (sq mi)

241

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 21742?

41.7

Median Age

49.0%

Male

51.0%

Female

9.1%

Foreign-Born

White 72.7%
African American 11.6%
Asian 2.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.7%
Hispanic or Latino 10.0%

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?

$86,288

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$43,456

Per Capita Income

12.3%

Poverty Rate

4.7%

Unemployment Rate

27.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21742 ranks nationally

Hagerstown, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$86,288 Top 31% higher than 69% 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 59.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.2%

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

What does housing look like?

13,888

Total Housing Units

13,231

Occupied Units

657

Vacant Units

2.54

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 69.0%
Renter 31.0%

$304,800

Median Home Value

-32% vs state

$1,351

Median Rent

1980

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

+4.4%

YoY Change (2024)

229

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+129%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21742 have increased 4.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +129% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.8% 162
2021 +11.7% 181
2022 +12.4% 203
2023 +8.1% 220
2024 +4.4% 229

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 642 business establishments in ZIP 21742, employing approximately 13,567 people with a combined annual payroll of $784,494,000.

642

Businesses

13,567

Employees

$784.5M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 123 19.2%
Retail trade 77 12.0%
Other services (except public administration) 67 10.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 65 10.1%
Construction 53 8.3%
Accommodation and food services 51 7.9%
Finance and insurance 49 7.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 32 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 29 4.5%
Transportation and warehousing 20 3.1%
Manufacturing 19 3.0%
Wholesale trade 17 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 15 2.3%
Educational services 14 2.2%
Information 7 1.1%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.5%

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 21742 vs 21734 →

ZIP 21742 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 21742 ranks #2 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 21742 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 21742 ranks #4 of 8 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
21734 Funkstown, MD 771 5.1 mi
21767 Maugansville, MD 991 5.2 mi
17263 State Line, PA 467 5.1 mi
21783 Smithsburg, MD 9,130 5.5 mi
21740 Hagerstown, MD 61,859 5.2 mi
17256 Shady Grove, PA 91 7.9 mi
17272 Zullinger, PA 294 7.1 mi
21713 Boonsboro, MD 9,502 10.0 mi
21746 Hagerstown, MD 1,883 7.8 mi
17268 Waynesboro, PA 28,285 8.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Washington County

21740 standard
Hagerstown, MD
Pop: 61,859
21713 standard
Boonsboro, MD
Pop: 9,502
21795 standard
Williamsport, MD
Pop: 9,233
21783 standard
Smithsburg, MD
Pop: 9,130
21722 standard
Clear Spring, MD
Pop: 5,545
21782 standard
Sharpsburg, MD
Pop: 4,097

Related Areas

Washington County Hagerstown, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21742 in? ▼
ZIP code 21742 (Hagerstown) is located in Washington County, Maryland. Washington County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/washington-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 21742? ▼
ZIP code 21742 in Hagerstown, MD has a population of 31,444 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21742? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21742 is $86,288, which is 13% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21742? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21742 is $304,800, which is 10% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21742? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21742 is White at 72.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21742? ▼
ZIP code 21742 has 642 business establishments employing approximately 13,567 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21742? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21742 are: Health care and social assistance (123), Retail trade (77), Other services (except public administration) (67). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21742? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21742 increased by 4.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 129%. 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 21742? ▼
In ZIP code 21742, 59.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.2% 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 21742? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21742 is 27.4 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 21742? ▼
In ZIP code 21742, approximately 69.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21742? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21742 is 12.3% 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.