Residential delivery area · Maryland
ZIP Code 21797: Woodbine, MD
ZIP code 21797 uses the postal name Woodbine, Maryland and lies mostly in Howard County (67% of its land), reaching into Carroll County and Montgomery County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 8,600 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Median household income is $189,241 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, 3% of its land lies in Lisbon (a census-designated place), and 2% in smaller places; 94% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Woodbine · its only residential ZIP
- County
- Howard County (67%); Carroll County (32%); Montgomery County (1%)
- Census places
- Lisbon census-designated place
- Metro area
- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
- House districts
- MD-3 (97%), MD-2 (2%), MD-8 (1%) 119th Congress, by share of land
- State
- Maryland
- Time zone
- Eastern
- Land area
- 43.7 sq mi · 198 people per sq mi
Where is ZIP code 21797?
21797 centers on 39.331°, -77.069° and covers 43.7 square miles of land plus 0.2 of water. It borders 7 ZIP codes: 21723, 21738, 21771, 21784, 20833, 20882, 21157.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 21797, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0).
How does 21797 compare with the rest of Howard County?
| Measure | 21797 | In Howard County | In MD |
|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 8,643 | 13th of 25 | 194th of 477 |
| Median household income | $189k | 10th of 21 | 18th of 293 |
| Median home value | $736k | 9th of 23 | 23rd of 320 |
Its median household income is higher than in 99% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 63% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 21797?
The 2020 Census counted 8,956 people in 21797; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 8,643. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew 1.3% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 8,643
- 2020 Census count
- 8,956+1.3% since 2010 (8,839)
- Households
- 2,849
- Median age
- 45.3
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 21797?
Of the 8,643 people the ACS estimates in 21797, 22.1% are under 18 and 16.0% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (80.6%).
- Under 1822.1%
- 18 to 6461.9%
- 65 and older16.0%
- White, not Hispanic80.6%
- Asian, not Hispanic6.1%
- Other or two or more5.6%
- Hispanic or Latino4.0%
- Black, not Hispanic3.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 21797 earn?
Median household income is $189,241 (ACS 2020-2024), the 10th highest of the 21 ranked ZIP codes in Howard County. It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($167,177 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $189,241
- Income per person
- $70,998
- Below the poverty line
- 2.4%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 4.2%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 51.5%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $159,9164,620 returns; wages 65% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 21797?
FHFA's house price index for 21797, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 53% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 41% from 2020 to 2025, and moved −2.0% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $735,600
- Median gross rent
- $1,535
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 91.7%
- Housing units
- 2,903
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 21797?
261 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 16 more than in 2018; the most are in construction (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Construction75
- Professional, scientific, and technical services58
- Other services (except public administration)23
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services22
- Transportation and warehousing16
- Retail trade14
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 21797?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21723 | Cooksville | 669 | $241k | 3.5 mi |
| 21738 | Glenwood | 3,696 | $250k+ | 4.2 mi |
| 21771 | Mount Airy | 33,031 | $157k | 6.5 mi |
| 21784 | Sykesville | 39,258 | $139k | 7.0 mi |
| 20833 | Brookeville | 7,860 | $204k | 8.4 mi |
| 20882 | Gaithersburg | 13,751 | $184k | 8.7 mi |
| 21157 | Westminster | 38,984 | $105k | 15.7 mi |
| 21794 | West Friendship | 2,192 | $232k | 5.9 mi (near) |
| 21737 | Glenelg | 2,474 | $250k+ | 6.1 mi (near) |
| 21036 | Dayton | 2,569 | $218k | 7.4 mi (near) |
| 20872 | Damascus | 13,983 | $141k | 7.7 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.