Zip code 21044: Columbia, Maryland

Q: What city is zip code 21044?

21044 is assigned to Columbia, Maryland. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.

Q: What county is 21044 in?

21044 is in Howard County, Maryland.

Q: What is the population of 21044?

About 44,114 people live in 21044, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Q: What is the median household income in 21044?

The median household income in 21044 is $135,057.

Q: What zip codes are near 21044?

The closest zip codes to 21044 are 21045, 21046, 21041, 21150, 21029.

Residential delivery areaHoward CountyEastern Time

Population

44,114

Median household income

$135K

U.S. $81K

Median home value

$567K

U.S. $333K

Median rent

$2,166/mo

U.S. $1,413

Median age

U.S. 38.9

Land area

12 sq mi

3,711 people/sq mi

Boundary is the Census Bureau's ZIP Code Tabulation Area, which closely tracks the postal delivery area.

About 21044

21044 is an urban zip code in Columbia, Maryland (Howard County), covering 12 sq mi of land. About 44,114 people live here, or 3,711 per square mile. The median resident is 40 years old, compared with 38.9 nationally.

The median household earns $135,057 a year, 67% above the national median of $80,734. 7% of residents live below the poverty line (U.S.: 12.5%). A typical home is valued at $566,500, or 4.2 years of median household income (U.S.: 4.1 years), which makes homes about as affordable as the national average for local earners. 60% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners, and renters pay a median of $2,166 a month.

68% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S.: 36%). Commuters average 29.2 minutes each way, and 28% of workers work from home. The most common jobs among working residents are in management; computer and math (tech); and healthcare. 27% of households speak a language other than English at home, most often another Indo-European language such as French, German, Russian or Hindi.

How 21044 compares

Sorted from highest to lowest national percentile

Tech workers12.5%
98th
U.S. 3.8% · MD 6.4%32nd of 444 in MD
Diversity index70.9
95th
U.S. 61.4 · MD 67.722nd of 446 in MD
Bachelor's degree or higher67.9%
94th
StrengthU.S. 35.7% · MD 43.4%39th of 445 in MD
Government workers24.7%
94th
U.S. 14.5% · MD 22.5%145th of 444 in MD
Work from home27.6%
92nd
U.S. 15.1% · MD 19.3%60th of 444 in MD
Median household income$135,057
91st
StrengthU.S. $80,734 · MD $103,678118th of 414 in MD
Per capita income$68,805
91st
StrengthU.S. $44,673 · MD $52,97976th of 446 in MD
Median earnings per worker$76,846
91st
StrengthU.S. $49,666 · MD $61,200113th of 443 in MD
Median gross rent$2,166
89th
U.S. $1,413 · MD $1,70555th of 338 in MD
Median home value$566,500
79th
U.S. $332,700 · MD $419,90095th of 421 in MD
Broadband access95%
76th
U.S. 91% · MD 92.4%169th of 441 in MD
Foreign-born residents20.5%
75th
U.S. 14.1% · MD 16.6%64th of 446 in MD
Population44,114
73rd
U.S. 334,922,499 · MD 6,206,01129th of 446 in MD
Population density3,711/sq mi
73rd
U.S. 95/sq mi · MD 639/sq mi65th of 446 in MD
Residents 65 and older19.5%
71st
U.S. 17.2% · MD 16.7%174th of 446 in MD
Average commute29.2 min
70th
U.S. 26.4 min · MD 31.1 min276th of 421 in MD
Veterans7.1%
67th
U.S. 6.2% · MD 6.8%225th of 446 in MD
Housing vacancy7.7%
58th
U.S. 10.1% · MD 7.7%160th of 441 in MD
Median age40
57th
U.S. 38.9 · MD 39.4272nd of 446 in MD
Healthcare workers9.8%
55th
U.S. 9.7% · MD 9%148th of 444 in MD
Unemployment rate4%
34th
U.S. 5.2% · MD 4.9%215th of 444 in MD
Rent-burdened renters46.6%
34th
U.S. 51.1% · MD 51.5%234th of 404 in MD
Homeownership rate60.3%
33rd
U.S. 65.2% · MD 67.6%369th of 441 in MD
Self-employed workers7.8%
29th
U.S. 10% · MD 8.7%271st of 444 in MD
Residents under 1819.2%
26th
U.S. 22% · MD 22.2%306th of 446 in MD
Poverty rate7%
25th
U.S. 12.5% · MD 9.4%214th of 441 in MD
Income inequality (Gini)0.404
24th
U.S. 0.483 · MD 0.456223rd of 438 in MD
Uninsured rate3.9%
21st
U.S. 8.4% · MD 6.3%212th of 444 in MD

Measure	21044	Howard	MD	U.S.	National percentile	Rank in MD
Tech workers	12.5%	11.9%	6.4%	3.8%	98th	32nd of 444
Diversity index	70.9	70.3	67.7	61.4	95th	22nd of 446
Bachelor's degree or higherStrength	67.9%	64.5%	43.4%	35.7%	94th	39th of 445
Government workers	24.7%	22.9%	22.5%	14.5%	94th	145th of 444
Work from home	27.6%	26%	19.3%	15.1%	92nd	60th of 444
Median household incomeStrength	$135,057	$149,763	$103,678	$80,734	91st	118th of 414
Per capita incomeStrength	$68,805	$67,501	$52,979	$44,673	91st	76th of 446
Median earnings per workerStrength	$76,846	$83,801	$61,200	$49,666	91st	113th of 443
Median gross rent	$2,166	$2,099	$1,705	$1,413	89th	55th of 338
Median home value	$566,500	$597,900	$419,900	$332,700	79th	95th of 421
Broadband access	95%	96.6%	92.4%	91%	76th	169th of 441
Foreign-born residents	20.5%	22.8%	16.6%	14.1%	75th	64th of 446
Population	44,114	336,328	6,206,011	334,922,499	73rd	29th of 446
Population density	3,711/sq mi	1,340/sq mi	639/sq mi	95/sq mi	73rd	65th of 446
Residents 65 and older	19.5%	15.2%	16.7%	17.2%	71st	174th of 446
Average commute	29.2 min	28.5 min	31.1 min	26.4 min	70th	276th of 421
Veterans	7.1%	6%	6.8%	6.2%	67th	225th of 446
Housing vacancy	7.7%	3.4%	7.7%	10.1%	58th	160th of 441
Median age	40	39.8	39.4	38.9	57th	272nd of 446
Healthcare workers	9.8%	9.7%	9%	9.7%	55th	148th of 444
Unemployment rate	4%	3.5%	4.9%	5.2%	34th	215th of 444
Rent-burdened renters	46.6%	47.7%	51.5%	51.1%	34th	234th of 404
Homeownership rate	60.3%	71.5%	67.6%	65.2%	33rd	369th of 441
Self-employed workers	7.8%	9.2%	8.7%	10%	29th	271st of 444
Residents under 18	19.2%	23.8%	22.2%	22%	26th	306th of 446
Poverty rate	7%	5.2%	9.4%	12.5%	25th	214th of 441
Income inequality (Gini)	0.404	0.414	0.456	0.483	24th	223rd of 438
Uninsured rate	3.9%	4.2%	6.3%	8.4%	21st	212th of 444

The percentile is the share of Americans who live in a zip code with a lower value, so the 50th percentile is typical. Rank 1 is the highest value in the state. Both include zip codes with at least 100 residents. Strengths and weaknesses mark measures in the best or worst fifth nationally, where higher or lower is clearly better (income, poverty, education, commute, broadband, insurance and similar). Measures like age or density are left unmarked.

People

Age

Under 5

15%

5–17

18–24

16%

25–34

13%

35–44

12%

45–54

12%

55–64

10%

65–74

75+

Median age

Under 18

19.2%

65 and over

19.5%

Race and ethnicity

White44%
Black26%
Hispanic10%
Asian12%
Native American0.1%
Pacific Islander0.0%
Other0.6%
Multiracial7%

Diversity index

70.9

U.S. 61.4

Foreign-born

20.5%

U.S. 14.1%

Born in state

33.6%

Language spoken at home (households)

English only

73%

Spanish

Other Indo-European

Asian / Pacific

Other

Households

Households: 18,293
Average household size: 2.4
Family households: 63.3%
Married couples: 46.3%
Living alone: 30%
Veterans (of adults): 7.1%
Male / female: 48% / 52%

Income and poverty

Household income distribution

<$25k

$25–50k

$50–75k

10%

$75–100k

10%

$100–150k

22%

$150–200k

17%

$200k+

28%

Median household income

21044

$135,057

Howard Co.

$149,763

Maryland

$103,678

United States

$80,734

Per capita income

$68,805

U.S. $44,673

Poverty rate

U.S. 12.5%

Households earning $150K+

44.5%

U.S. 23%

Income inequality (Gini)

0.404

U.S. 0.483

Housing

Median home value

21044

$566,500

Howard Co.

$597,900

Maryland

$419,900

United States

$332,700

Median gross rent

21044

$2,166

Howard Co.

$2,099

Maryland

$1,705

United States

$1,413

Types of housing

Single-family

58%

2–4 units

5–19 units

25%

20+ units

15%

Mobile home

Boat, RV, van

0.3%

Housing units: 19,811
Owner-occupied: 60.3%
Vacant: 7.7%
Median year built: 1985
Median rooms: 6.1
Renters paying 30%+ of income: 46.6%
Renters paying 50%+ of income: 21.7%
Home value to income: 4.2× (U.S. 4.1×)

Work and commute

How people get to work

Drove alone

63%

Carpooled

Transit

Walked

Bicycle

Worked from home

28%

Other

Commute time (one way)

<10 min

10–19

26%

20–29

19%

30–44

24%

45–59

13%

60+

10%

Average commute

29.2 min

U.S. 26.4 min

Unemployment

U.S. 5.2%

In labor force

68.6%

U.S. 63.5%

Jobs and careers

What employed residents do, wherever they work

Occupations

Management

16%

Computer and math

12%

Healthcare

10%

Education

Engineering and science

Business and finance

Office and admin

Sales

Cleaning and personal care

Food service

Legal and social services

Arts, media and sports

Transportation and moving

Police and fire

Construction and repair

Production

Farming, fishing and forestry

Industries

Professional and technical services

19%

Health care and social assistance

16%

Education

13%

Public administration

12%

Retail

Finance, insurance and real estate

Other services

Manufacturing

Restaurants and hotels

Arts and recreation

Construction

Transportation, warehousing and utilities

Admin, support and management

Information

Wholesale

Agriculture and mining

0.2%

Median earnings per worker

$76,846

U.S. $49,666

Self-employed

7.8%

U.S. 10%

Government workers

24.7%

U.S. 14.5%

Nonprofit workers

12.4%

U.S. 8.8%

Median earnings by type of work

Type of work	21044	U.S.
Management, business, science and arts	$105,054	$74,888
Service	$31,802	$26,804
Sales and office	$42,757	$40,476
Construction and maintenance	$46,349	$49,199
Production and transportation	$45,613	$39,989

Education, internet and health coverage

Highest education (adults 25+)

No diploma

High school

10%

Some college

13%

Associate's

Bachelor's

31%

Graduate

37%

High school graduate or higher: 96.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 67.9%
Graduate or professional degree: 36.8%
Households with broadband: 95%
Cable, fiber or DSL: 88.6%
No internet access: 2%
Without health insurance: 3.9%
Limited-English households: 3.9%

Geography

City (USPS): Columbia
State: Maryland
County: Howard County
Center point: 39.2053° N, 76.8787° W
Land area: 12 sq mi
Water area: 0.1 sq mi
Time zone: Eastern Time (UTC-5, UTC-4 in summer)
Zip type: Residential delivery area

Cities and towns within this zip

Columbia (unincorporated)95% of zip

Census places overlapping the zip's area. Mail may use a different city name than the municipality.

Zip codes near 21044

Search by radius

Zip	City	Distance	Population	IncomeMedian income	Home value
21045	Columbia, MD	2.7 mi	40,034	$118,563	$453,700
21046	Columbia, MD	3.2 mi	15,608	$127,813	$479,500
21041	Ellicott City, MD · PO box	4 mi	—	—	—
21150	Simpsonville, MD · PO box	4 mi	—	—	—
21029	Clarksville, MD	4.4 mi	13,607	$243,542	$912,100
20759	Fulton, MD	4.5 mi	6,624	$250,000+	$954,700
20723	Laurel, MD	4.7 mi	36,866	$138,113	$525,400
21042	Ellicott City, MD	5 mi	43,327	$190,061	$706,400
20777	Highland, MD	5.3 mi	3,221	$226,146	$861,900
21043	Ellicott City, MD	5.4 mi	48,525	$148,125	$620,900
20763	Savage, MD	5.7 mi	2,601	$76,842	$419,200
20794	Jessup, MD	5.8 mi	16,814	$116,406	$426,100

Zip codes like 21044 elsewhere

Matched on income, home values, age, density, education, housing and commuting

Questions about 21044

What city is zip code 21044?

21044 is assigned to Columbia, Maryland. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.

What county is 21044 in?

21044 is in Howard County, Maryland.

What is the population of 21044?

About 44,114 people live in 21044, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

What time zone is 21044 in?

21044 is in Eastern Time.

What is the median household income in 21044?

The median household income in 21044 is $135,057.

What zip codes are near 21044?

The closest zip codes to 21044 are 21045, 21046, 21041, 21150, 21029.

Demographic figures are 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 21044, from the U.S. Census Bureau. Small areas have wide margins of error. How we build these numbers.