PlainZIP

Woodbine, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21797

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

8,839
79/sq mi
$189,241
Median income
$735,600
Median home value
51.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 1%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 6%
home value, US ZIPs
79
people per sq mi
92%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21797 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 21797 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Woodbine, Howard County, Maryland, home to 8,839 residents across 112.2 square miles, a density of 79 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21797 skews affluent, with a median household income of $189,241 (66% above the Maryland average), while per-capita income is $70,998. The poverty rate stands at 2.4% and the unemployment rate at 4.2%. On housing, the median home value is $735,600 (64% above the state average) with median rent at $1,535 per month, and 91.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 51.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.3, and the average commute is 39 minutes. To put 21797 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Howard 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 21797

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Woodbine, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21797.

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 21797, Woodbine, 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

8,839

Population

112.2

Area (sq mi)

79

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 21797?

45.3

Median Age

52.2%

Male

47.8%

Female

7.6%

Foreign-Born

White 82.2%
African American 3.6%
Asian 6.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.0%

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?

$189,241

Median Household Income

+66% vs state

$70,998

Per Capita Income

2.4%

Poverty Rate

4.2%

Unemployment Rate

38.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21797 ranks nationally

Woodbine, MD household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$189,241 Top 1% higher than 99% 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%). Below this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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 72.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 51.5%

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

What does housing look like?

2,903

Total Housing Units

2,849

Occupied Units

54

Vacant Units

3.03

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 91.7%
Renter 8.3%

$735,600

Median Home Value

+64% vs state

$1,535

Median Rent

1985

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

+4.1%

YoY Change (2024)

268

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+168%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21797 have increased 4.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +168% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.2% 187
2021 +7.6% 201
2022 +13.2% 228
2023 +13.1% 258
2024 +4.1% 268

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 261 business establishments in ZIP 21797, employing approximately 1,955 people with a combined annual payroll of $127,517,000.

261

Businesses

1,955

Employees

$127.5M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 75 28.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 58 22.2%
Other services (except public administration) 23 8.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 22 8.4%
Transportation and warehousing 16 6.1%
Retail trade 14 5.4%
Health care and social assistance 12 4.6%
Accommodation and food services 10 3.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 8 3.1%
Manufacturing 5 1.9%
Wholesale trade 5 1.9%
Finance and insurance 5 1.9%
Educational services 3 1.1%

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 21797 vs 21723 →

ZIP 21797 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 21797 ranks #5 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 21797 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 21797 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
21723 Cooksville, MD 803 3.2 mi
21738 Glenwood, MD 3,268 4.3 mi
21737 Glenelg, MD 1,458 6.1 mi
21794 West Friendship, MD 2,434 5.8 mi
20833 Brookeville, MD 7,735 8.9 mi
21771 Mount Airy, MD 29,563 6.2 mi
21784 Sykesville, MD 37,941 6.9 mi
21036 Dayton, MD 2,114 7.8 mi
20882 Gaithersburg, MD 14,063 8.0 mi
20872 Damascus, MD 13,104 8.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Howard County

21043 standard
Ellicott City, MD
Pop: 42,246
21044 standard
Columbia, MD
Pop: 41,704
21045 standard
Columbia, MD
Pop: 38,288
21042 standard
Ellicott City, MD
Pop: 38,076
20723 standard
Laurel, MD
Pop: 28,972
21075 standard
Elkridge, MD
Pop: 26,344

Related Areas

Howard County Woodbine, MD Maryland

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21797 in? ▼
ZIP code 21797 (Woodbine) is located in Howard County, Maryland. Howard County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/howard-md.
What is the population of ZIP code 21797? ▼
ZIP code 21797 in Woodbine, MD has a population of 8,839 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 21797? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 21797 is $189,241, which is 148% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 21797? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 21797 is $735,600, which is 164% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21797? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 21797 is White at 82.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 21797? ▼
ZIP code 21797 has 261 business establishments employing approximately 1,955 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 21797? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21797 are: Construction (75), Professional, scientific, and technical services (58), Other services (except public administration) (23). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 21797? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21797 increased by 4.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 168%. 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 21797? ▼
In ZIP code 21797, 72.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 51.5% 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 21797? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21797 is 38.9 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 21797? ▼
In ZIP code 21797, approximately 91.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 8.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21797? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 21797 is 2.4% 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.