PlainZIP

Thurmont, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21788

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

11,622
67/sq mi
$98,856
Median income
$379,200
Median home value
31.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Thurmont pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 20%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 23%
home value, US ZIPs
67
people per sq mi
82%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21788 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21788 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Thurmont, Frederick County, Maryland, home to 11,622 residents across 172.9 square miles, a density of 67 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21788 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $98,856 (13% below the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $52,036. Poverty here runs at 8.6%, with unemployment measured at 2.8%. Housing costs here run $379,200 for a typical home value (15% below the state average), with rent averaging $959 a month; 82.1% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 31.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.6, and the average commute is 29 minutes. To put 21788 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Frederick County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 21788

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Thurmont, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21788.

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 21788, Thurmont, 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

11,622

Population

172.9

Area (sq mi)

67

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 21788?

44.6

Median Age

50.9%

Male

49.1%

Female

3.1%

Foreign-Born

White 90.1%
African American 0.9%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%

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?

$98,856

Median Household Income

-13% vs state

$52,036

Per Capita Income

8.6%

Poverty Rate

2.8%

Unemployment Rate

28.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21788 ranks nationally

Thurmont, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$98,856 Top 20% higher than 80% 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 65.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.3%

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

What does housing look like?

4,871

Total Housing Units

4,649

Occupied Units

222

Vacant Units

2.51

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 82.1%
Renter 17.9%

$379,200

Median Home Value

-15% vs state

$959

Median Rent

1978

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

+10.9%

YoY Change (2024)

250

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+150%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21788 have increased 10.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +150% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.3% 179
2021 +11.3% 199
2022 +12.6% 225
2023 +0.4% 225
2024 +10.9% 250

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 216 business establishments in ZIP 21788, employing approximately 3,063 people with a combined annual payroll of $161,687,000.

216

Businesses

3,063

Employees

$161.7M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 44 20.4%
Retail trade 36 16.7%
Other services (except public administration) 28 13.0%
Accommodation and food services 20 9.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 17 7.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 13 6.0%
Health care and social assistance 10 4.6%
Manufacturing 9 4.2%
Transportation and warehousing 8 3.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 8 3.7%
Wholesale trade 6 2.8%
Finance and insurance 6 2.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 6 2.8%

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 21788 vs 21778 →

ZIP 21788 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 21788 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 21788 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 21788 ranks #7 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
21778 Rocky Ridge, MD 1,094 4.7 mi
21780 Sabillasville, MD 1,625 6.3 mi
21702 Frederick, MD 38,847 8.2 mi
21798 Woodsboro, MD 2,345 7.4 mi
21793 Walkersville, MD 9,775 8.1 mi
21773 Myersville, MD 5,460 8.0 mi
21727 Emmitsburg, MD 5,850 8.2 mi
21719 Cascade, MD 1,548 8.9 mi
21783 Smithsburg, MD 9,130 8.3 mi
21701 Frederick, MD 35,293 11.1 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
21704 standard
Frederick, MD
Pop: 13,321
21774 standard
New Market, MD
Pop: 11,662

Related Areas

Frederick County Thurmont, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21788 in? ▼
ZIP code 21788 (Thurmont) 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 21788? ▼
ZIP code 21788 in Thurmont, MD has a population of 11,622 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21788? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21788 is $98,856, which is 30% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21788? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21788 is $379,200, which is 36% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21788? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21788 is White at 90.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21788? ▼
ZIP code 21788 has 216 business establishments employing approximately 3,063 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21788? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21788 are: Construction (44), Retail trade (36), Other services (except public administration) (28). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21788? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21788 increased by 10.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 150%. 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 21788? ▼
In ZIP code 21788, 65.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.3% 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 21788? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21788 is 28.7 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 21788? ▼
In ZIP code 21788, approximately 82.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21788? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21788 is 8.6% 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.