Sykesville, MD · standard
ZIP Code 21784
Carroll County, Maryland - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 37,941
- 255/sq mi High-density area
- $139,395
- Median income Above-median income area
- $491,800
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 53.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Sykesville pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 5%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 13%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 255
- people per sq mi
- 87%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21784 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 21784 (Sykesville, MD) rose +8.3% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 252.1 in 2023 to 273.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 21784 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Sykesville, Carroll County, Maryland, with 37,941 residents across 149.0 square miles, a density of 255 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 21784 skews affluent, with a median household income of $139,395 (22% above the average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $56,974. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 4.4% and unemployment is 3.6%. Median home value is $491,800 (10% above the average Maryland ZIP) and median rent is $1,739; 87.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 53.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.9, and the average commute is 33 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Carroll County, so 21784 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 21784
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sykesville, MD
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21784.
- Construction
Construction
153 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
131 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
130 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
105 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
101 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 21784, Sykesville, 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
37,941
Population
149.0
Area (sq mi)
255
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 21784?
38.9
Median Age
50.0%
Male
50.0%
Female
6.9%
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?
$139,395
Median Household Income
+22% vs state ZIP avg
$56,974
Per Capita Income
4.4%
Poverty Rate
3.6%
Unemployment Rate
33.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 21784 ranks nationally
Sykesville, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$139,395 Top 5% higher than 95% 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
13,797housing units
13,797
Total Housing Units
13,416
Occupied Units
381
Vacant Units
2.84
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$491,800
Median Home Value
+10% vs state ZIP avg
$1,739
Median Rent
1986
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
+8.3%
YoY Change (2024)
273
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+173%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 21784 have increased 8.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +173% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.9% | 197 |
| 2021 | +9.4% | 215 |
| 2022 | +12.3% | 242 |
| 2023 | +4.3% | 252 |
| 2024 | +8.3% | 273 |
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 975 business establishments in ZIP 21784, employing approximately 12,994 people with a combined annual payroll of $662,024,000.
975
Businesses
12,994
Employees
$662.0M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 153 | 15.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 131 | 13.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 130 | 13.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 105 | 10.8% |
| Retail trade | 101 | 10.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 76 | 7.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 66 | 6.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 54 | 5.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 35 | 3.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 24 | 2.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 22 | 2.3% |
| Educational services | 19 | 1.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 17 | 1.7% |
| Manufacturing | 16 | 1.6% |
| Information | 14 | 1.4% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 8 | 0.8% |
| 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 21784 vs 21794 →
ZIP 21784 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21042
Ellicott City (21042)
38,076 residents
- 21784
Sykesville (21784)
37,941 residents
- 21157
Westminster (21157)
36,920 residents
- 21048 10,650
Finksburg (21048)
10,650 residents
- 21797 8,839
Woodbine (21797)
8,839 residents
- 21163 7,026
Woodstock (21163)
7,026 residents
- 21104 4,601
Marriottsville (21104)
4,601 residents
- 21738 3,268
Glenwood (21738)
3,268 residents
- 21794 2,434
West Friendship (21794)
2,434 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 21784 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 21784 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 21737
Glenelg (21737)
$250,000 median income
- 21738
Glenwood (21738)
$250,000 median income
- 21723
Cooksville (21723)
$241,250 median income
- 21794
West Friendship (21794)
$231,466 median income
- 21104
Marriottsville (21104)
$191,804 median income
- 21042
Ellicott City (21042)
$190,061 median income
- 21797
Woodbine (21797)
$189,241 median income
- 21784
Sykesville (21784)
$139,395 median income
- 21163
Woodstock (21163)
$134,672 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 21784 ranks #8 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21794 | West Friendship, MD | 2,434 | 7.2 mi |
| 21723 | Cooksville, MD | 803 | 5.6 mi |
| 21104 | Marriottsville, MD | 4,601 | 5.0 mi |
| 21157 | Westminster, MD | 36,920 | 10.3 mi |
| 21048 | Finksburg, MD | 10,650 | 7.3 mi |
| 21797 | Woodbine, MD | 8,839 | 6.9 mi |
| 21738 | Glenwood, MD | 3,268 | 8.8 mi |
| 21163 | Woodstock, MD | 7,026 | 7.6 mi |
| 21737 | Glenelg, MD | 1,458 | 10.4 mi |
| 21042 | Ellicott City, MD | 38,076 | 10.0 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 21784, 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 (37,941 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 21784 in?
ZIP code 21784 (Sykesville) 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 21784?
ZIP code 21784 in Sykesville, MD has a population of 37,941 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21784?
The median household income in ZIP 21784 is $139,395, which is 83% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21784?
The median home value in ZIP 21784 is $491,800, which is 77% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21784?
The largest racial group in ZIP 21784 is White at 78.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21784?
ZIP code 21784 has 975 business establishments employing approximately 12,994 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21784?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21784 are: Construction (153), Health care and social assistance (131), Professional, scientific, and technical services (130). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21784?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21784 increased by 8.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 173%. 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 21784?
In ZIP code 21784, 72.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 53.0% 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 21784?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21784 is 33.3 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 21784?
In ZIP code 21784, approximately 87.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21784?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21784 is 4.4% 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 21784's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 21784 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Sykesville, 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.