Woodsboro, MD · standard

ZIP Code 21798

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

2,345
55/sq mi Moderate-density area
$116,607
Median income Above-median income area
$498,400
Median home value Above-median home value
37.4%
Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment

National ZIP placement

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

Top 11%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 13%
home value, US ZIPs
55
people per sq mi
79%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 21798 against every reporting US ZIP.

FHFA HPI release change

What changed in the latest House Price Index year

2023 -> 2024
  • FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 21798 (Woodsboro, MD) rose +1.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 227.9 in 2023 to 231.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).

Arithmetic difference between stored FHFA all-transactions ZIP House Price Index annual values - a developmental index from repeat sales and appraisals, not a transaction median, appraisal opinion, or forecast. Thin markets can move sharply.

National HPI changes Year-pair CSV

ZIP code 21798 covers 42.9 square miles in Woodsboro, Frederick County, Maryland (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,345 residents on file, a density of 55 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 21798 skews affluent, with a median household income of $116,607 (2% above the average Maryland ZIP), while per-capita income is $50,330. The poverty rate is 14.8%, with unemployment at 4.8%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $498,400 (11% above the average Maryland ZIP) and median rent is $1,406; 79.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 37.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.3, and the average commute is 31 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Frederick County, so 21798 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 →

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Top industries in ZIP 21798

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Woodsboro, MD

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 21798.

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 21798, Woodsboro, 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

2,345

Population

42.9

Area (sq mi)

55

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 21798?

41.3

Median Age

43.7%

Male

56.3%

Female

11.2%

Foreign-Born

White 72.8%
African American 11.0%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.5%
Hispanic or Latino 8.8%

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?

$116,607

Median Household Income

+2% vs state ZIP avg

$50,330

Per Capita Income

14.8%

Poverty Rate

4.8%

Unemployment Rate

30.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 21798 ranks among Maryland ZIPs

Woodsboro, MD household income vs. every Maryland ZIP code

Median household income among 419 reporting Maryland ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)

$116,607 Top 42% higher than 58% of 419 Maryland ZIPs

This ZIP $0 $200K+ every Maryland ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Maryland 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 60.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 37.4%

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

What does housing look like?

1,031

Total Housing Units

929

Occupied Units

102

Vacant Units

3.15

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 79.3%
Renter 20.7%

$498,400

Median Home Value

+11% vs state ZIP avg

$1,406

Median Rent

1990

Median Year Built

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

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+1.6%

YoY Change (2024)

232

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+132%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 21798 have increased 1.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +132% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -1.7% 168
2021 +7.8% 180
2022 +29.6% 234
2023 -2.5% 228
2024 +1.6% 232

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 50 business establishments in ZIP 21798, employing approximately 428 people with a combined annual payroll of $23,982,000.

50

Businesses

428

Employees

$24.0M

Annual Payroll

6

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 12 24.0%
Other services (except public administration) 9 18.0%
Retail trade 6 12.0%
Health care and social assistance 6 12.0%
Manufacturing 4 8.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 6.0%

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 21798 vs 21793 →

ZIP 21798 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 21798 ranks #8 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 21798 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 21798 ranks #3 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
21793 Walkersville, MD 9,775 3.9 mi
21757 Keymar, MD 3,036 5.0 mi
21762 Libertytown, MD 249 4.8 mi
21778 Rocky Ridge, MD 1,094 5.8 mi
21791 Union Bridge, MD 5,281 6.1 mi
21701 Frederick, MD 35,293 6.5 mi
21774 New Market, MD 11,662 8.9 mi
21788 Thurmont, MD 11,622 7.4 mi
21705 Frederick, MD 8 10.6 mi
21787 Taneytown, MD 10,693 11.8 mi

Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles

Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 21798, 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 (2,345 here; floor ≥1,000).

Similar median household income

Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.

More ZIP Codes in Frederick County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 21798 in?

ZIP code 21798 (Woodsboro) 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 21798?

ZIP code 21798 in Woodsboro, MD has a population of 2,345 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in ZIP 21798?

The median household income in ZIP 21798 is $116,607, which is 53% above the national average of $76,288.

What is the average home value in ZIP 21798?

The median home value in ZIP 21798 is $498,400, which is 79% above the national average of $278,155.

What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 21798?

The largest racial group in ZIP 21798 is White at 72.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.8% of the population.

How many businesses are in ZIP code 21798?

ZIP code 21798 has 50 business establishments employing approximately 428 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.

What are the main industries in ZIP code 21798?

The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 21798 are: Construction (12), Other services (except public administration) (9), Retail trade (6). There are 6 industry sectors represented in total.

How have home values changed in ZIP code 21798?

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 21798 increased by 1.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 132%. 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 21798?

In ZIP code 21798, 60.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 37.4% 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 21798?

The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 21798 is 30.5 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 21798?

In ZIP code 21798, approximately 79.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 21798?

The poverty rate in ZIP code 21798 is 14.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP 21798's figures come from ACS 5-Year Estimates, Census ZIP Code Business Patterns, and the FHFA House Price Index. See our methodology for details.

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Read our methodology : how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.