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 High-density area
- $86,288
- Median income Above-median income area
- $304,800
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 31.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 21742 (Hagerstown, MD) rose +4.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 219.6 in 2023 to 229.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $43,456. The poverty rate is 12.3%, with unemployment at 4.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $304,800 (32% below the average Maryland ZIP), and median rent is $1,351; owner occupancy is 69.0%.
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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Washington County, so 21742 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 21742
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hagerstown, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21742.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
123 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
77 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
67 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
65 establishments
- Construction
Construction
53 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 21742?
41.7
Median Age
49.0%
Male
51.0%
Female
9.1%
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?
$86,288
Median Household Income
-24% vs state ZIP avg
$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
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
13,888housing units
13,888
Total Housing Units
13,231
Occupied Units
657
Vacant Units
2.54
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$304,800
Median Home Value
-32% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 21740
Hagerstown (21740)
61,859 residents
- 21742
Hagerstown (21742)
31,444 residents
- 17268
Waynesboro (17268)
28,285 residents
- 21713 9,502
Boonsboro (21713)
9,502 residents
- 21783 9,130
Smithsburg (21783)
9,130 residents
- 21746 1,883
Hagerstown (21746)
1,883 residents
- 21767 991
Maugansville (21767)
991 residents
- 21734 771
Funkstown (21734)
771 residents
- 17263 467
State Line (17263)
467 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21742 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21742 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21783
Smithsburg (21783)
$100,750 median income
- 21713
Boonsboro (21713)
$96,199 median income
- 17263
State Line (17263)
$88,835 median income
- 21742
Hagerstown (21742)
$86,288 median income
- 17268
Waynesboro (17268)
$73,161 median income
- 21740
Hagerstown (21740)
$62,873 median income
- 21734
Funkstown (21734)
$61,392 median income
- 21767
Maugansville (21767)
$57,940 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 21742, 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 (31,444 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Washington County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 21742's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 21742 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Hagerstown, 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.