Zip code 21046: Columbia, Maryland

Q: What city is zip code 21046?

21046 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 21046 in?

21046 is in Howard County, Maryland.

Q: What is the population of 21046?

About 15,608 people live in 21046, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Q: What is the median household income in 21046?

The median household income in 21046 is $127,813.

Q: What zip codes are near 21046?

The closest zip codes to 21046 are 21045, 20763, 20794, 20723, 21044.

Residential delivery areaHoward CountyEastern Time

Population

15,608

Median household income

$128K

U.S. $81K

Median home value

$480K

U.S. $333K

Median rent

$2,131/mo

U.S. $1,413

Median age

37.3

U.S. 38.9

Land area

7.8 sq mi

1,999 people/sq mi

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

About 21046

21046 is a suburban zip code in Columbia, Maryland (Howard County), covering 7.8 sq mi of land. About 15,608 people live here, or 1,999 per square mile. The median resident is 37.3 years old, compared with 38.9 nationally.

The median household earns $127,813 a year, 58% above the national median of $80,734. 8.4% of residents live below the poverty line (U.S.: 12.5%). A typical home is valued at $479,500, or 3.8 years of median household income (U.S.: 4.1 years), which makes homes about as affordable as the national average for local earners. 65% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners, and renters pay a median of $2,131 a month.

62% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S.: 36%). Commuters average 23.8 minutes each way, and 19% of workers work from home. The most common jobs among working residents are in management; computer and math (tech); and sales. 22% of households speak a language other than English at home, most often another Indo-European language such as French, German, Russian or Hindi.

How 21046 compares

Sorted from highest to lowest national percentile

Tech workers13.4%
99th
U.S. 3.8% · MD 6.4%25th of 444 in MD
Broadband access98%
97th
StrengthU.S. 91% · MD 92.4%67th of 441 in MD
Government workers24.8%
94th
U.S. 14.5% · MD 22.5%142nd of 444 in MD
Median earnings per worker$80,126
93rd
StrengthU.S. $49,666 · MD $61,20091st of 443 in MD
Bachelor's degree or higher61.7%
90th
StrengthU.S. 35.7% · MD 43.4%56th of 445 in MD
Median household income$127,813
88th
StrengthU.S. $80,734 · MD $103,678132nd of 414 in MD
Median gross rent$2,131
88th
U.S. $1,413 · MD $1,70559th of 338 in MD
Per capita income$61,404
86th
StrengthU.S. $44,673 · MD $52,979123rd of 446 in MD
Diversity index65.7
85th
U.S. 61.4 · MD 67.761st of 446 in MD
Work from home18.9%
74th
U.S. 15.1% · MD 19.3%182nd of 444 in MD
Median home value$479,500
73rd
U.S. $332,700 · MD $419,900147th of 421 in MD
Population density1,999/sq mi
57th
U.S. 95/sq mi · MD 639/sq mi115th of 446 in MD
Foreign-born residents12.1%
57th
U.S. 14.1% · MD 16.6%125th of 446 in MD
Veterans6.2%
55th
U.S. 6.2% · MD 6.8%272nd of 446 in MD
Homeownership rate65.1%
42nd
U.S. 65.2% · MD 67.6%345th of 441 in MD
Median age37.3
37th
U.S. 38.9 · MD 39.4347th of 446 in MD
Average commute23.8 min
35th
U.S. 26.4 min · MD 31.1 min371st of 421 in MD
Poverty rate8.4%
34th
U.S. 12.5% · MD 9.4%174th of 441 in MD
Residents under 1820.3%
34th
U.S. 22% · MD 22.2%277th of 446 in MD
Population15,608
24th
U.S. 334,922,499 · MD 6,206,011147th of 446 in MD
Residents 65 and older12.6%
21st
U.S. 17.2% · MD 16.7%374th of 446 in MD
Housing vacancy3.4%
15th
U.S. 10.1% · MD 7.7%311th of 441 in MD
Uninsured rate3.2%
14th
StrengthU.S. 8.4% · MD 6.3%253rd of 444 in MD
Unemployment rate2.7%
12th
StrengthU.S. 5.2% · MD 4.9%304th of 444 in MD
Rent-burdened renters37%
11th
StrengthU.S. 51.1% · MD 51.5%305th of 404 in MD
Self-employed workers5.7%
8th
U.S. 10% · MD 8.7%360th of 444 in MD
Healthcare workers5.9%
7th
U.S. 9.7% · MD 9%323rd of 444 in MD
Income inequality (Gini)0.348
2nd
StrengthU.S. 0.483 · MD 0.456357th of 438 in MD

Measure	21046	Howard	MD	U.S.	National percentile	Rank in MD
Tech workers	13.4%	11.9%	6.4%	3.8%	99th	25th of 444
Broadband accessStrength	98%	96.6%	92.4%	91%	97th	67th of 441
Government workers	24.8%	22.9%	22.5%	14.5%	94th	142nd of 444
Median earnings per workerStrength	$80,126	$83,801	$61,200	$49,666	93rd	91st of 443
Bachelor's degree or higherStrength	61.7%	64.5%	43.4%	35.7%	90th	56th of 445
Median household incomeStrength	$127,813	$149,763	$103,678	$80,734	88th	132nd of 414
Median gross rent	$2,131	$2,099	$1,705	$1,413	88th	59th of 338
Per capita incomeStrength	$61,404	$67,501	$52,979	$44,673	86th	123rd of 446
Diversity index	65.7	70.3	67.7	61.4	85th	61st of 446
Work from home	18.9%	26%	19.3%	15.1%	74th	182nd of 444
Median home value	$479,500	$597,900	$419,900	$332,700	73rd	147th of 421
Population density	1,999/sq mi	1,340/sq mi	639/sq mi	95/sq mi	57th	115th of 446
Foreign-born residents	12.1%	22.8%	16.6%	14.1%	57th	125th of 446
Veterans	6.2%	6%	6.8%	6.2%	55th	272nd of 446
Homeownership rate	65.1%	71.5%	67.6%	65.2%	42nd	345th of 441
Median age	37.3	39.8	39.4	38.9	37th	347th of 446
Average commute	23.8 min	28.5 min	31.1 min	26.4 min	35th	371st of 421
Poverty rate	8.4%	5.2%	9.4%	12.5%	34th	174th of 441
Residents under 18	20.3%	23.8%	22.2%	22%	34th	277th of 446
Population	15,608	336,328	6,206,011	334,922,499	24th	147th of 446
Residents 65 and older	12.6%	15.2%	16.7%	17.2%	21st	374th of 446
Housing vacancy	3.4%	3.4%	7.7%	10.1%	15th	311th of 441
Uninsured rateStrength	3.2%	4.2%	6.3%	8.4%	14th	253rd of 444
Unemployment rateStrength	2.7%	3.5%	4.9%	5.2%	12th	304th of 444
Rent-burdened rentersStrength	37%	47.7%	51.5%	51.1%	11th	305th of 404
Self-employed workers	5.7%	9.2%	8.7%	10%	8th	360th of 444
Healthcare workers	5.9%	9.7%	9%	9.7%	7th	323rd of 444
Income inequality (Gini)Strength	0.348	0.414	0.456	0.483	2nd	357th of 438

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

13%

5–17

14%

18–24

12%

25–34

17%

35–44

10%

45–54

13%

55–64

65–74

75+

Median age

37.3

Under 18

20.3%

65 and over

12.6%

Race and ethnicity

White48%
Black31%
Hispanic6%
Asian5%
Native American0%
Pacific Islander0.1%
Other1%
Multiracial8%

Diversity index

65.7

U.S. 61.4

Foreign-born

12.1%

U.S. 14.1%

Born in state

43.4%

Language spoken at home (households)

English only

78%

Spanish

Other Indo-European

Asian / Pacific

Other

Households

Households: 6,165
Average household size: 2.5
Family households: 68%
Married couples: 47.9%
Living alone: 23.7%
Veterans (of adults): 6.2%
Male / female: 50% / 50%

Income and poverty

Household income distribution

<$25k

$25–50k

$50–75k

$75–100k

$100–150k

30%

$150–200k

18%

$200k+

25%

Median household income

21046

$127,813

Howard Co.

$149,763

Maryland

$103,678

United States

$80,734

Per capita income

$61,404

U.S. $44,673

Poverty rate

8.4%

U.S. 12.5%

Households earning $150K+

42.4%

U.S. 23%

Income inequality (Gini)

0.348

U.S. 0.483

Housing

Median home value

21046

$479,500

Howard Co.

$597,900

Maryland

$419,900

United States

$332,700

Median gross rent

21046

$2,131

Howard Co.

$2,099

Maryland

$1,705

United States

$1,413

Types of housing

Single-family

63%

2–4 units

5–19 units

27%

20+ units

Mobile home

Boat, RV, van

Housing units: 6,382
Owner-occupied: 65.1%
Vacant: 3.4%
Median year built: 1985
Median rooms: 6.4
Renters paying 30%+ of income: 37%
Renters paying 50%+ of income: 23%
Home value to income: 3.8× (U.S. 4.1×)

Work and commute

How people get to work

Drove alone

71%

Carpooled

Transit

Walked

Bicycle

0.2%

Worked from home

19%

Other

0.9%

Commute time (one way)

<10 min

10–19

44%

20–29

20%

30–44

23%

45–59

60+

Average commute

23.8 min

U.S. 26.4 min

Unemployment

2.7%

U.S. 5.2%

In labor force

71%

U.S. 63.5%

Jobs and careers

What employed residents do, wherever they work

Occupations

Management

15%

Computer and math

13%

Sales

Business and finance

Office and admin

Engineering and science

Education

Legal and social services

Healthcare

Food service

Cleaning and personal care

Transportation and moving

Construction and repair

Police and fire

Arts, media and sports

0.8%

Production

0.7%

Farming, fishing and forestry

Industries

Professional and technical services

20%

Education

14%

Public administration

11%

Health care and social assistance

11%

Restaurants and hotels

Retail

Manufacturing

Other services

Finance, insurance and real estate

Construction

Information

Transportation, warehousing and utilities

Admin, support and management

Wholesale

Arts and recreation

Agriculture and mining

0.3%

Median earnings per worker

$80,126

U.S. $49,666

Self-employed

5.7%

U.S. 10%

Government workers

24.8%

U.S. 14.5%

Nonprofit workers

14.2%

U.S. 8.8%

Median earnings by type of work

Type of work	21046	U.S.
Management, business, science and arts	$99,239	$74,888
Service	$16,069	$26,804
Sales and office	$24,001	$40,476
Construction and maintenance	$110,188	$49,199
Production and transportation	$51,082	$39,989

Education, internet and health coverage

Highest education (adults 25+)

No diploma

High school

13%

Some college

13%

Associate's

Bachelor's

29%

Graduate

33%

High school graduate or higher: 97.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 61.7%
Graduate or professional degree: 33.1%
Households with broadband: 98%
Cable, fiber or DSL: 92.2%
No internet access: 1.6%
Without health insurance: 3.2%
Limited-English households: 4.3%

Geography

City (USPS): Columbia
State: Maryland
County: Howard County
Center point: 39.1741° N, 76.8354° W
Land area: 7.8 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)100% of zip

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

Zip codes near 21046

Search by radius

Zip	City	Distance	Population	IncomeMedian income	Home value
21045	Columbia, MD	2.2 mi	40,034	$118,563	$453,700
20763	Savage, MD	2.7 mi	2,601	$76,842	$419,200
20794	Jessup, MD	2.7 mi	16,814	$116,406	$426,100
20723	Laurel, MD	3.1 mi	36,866	$138,113	$525,400
21044	Columbia, MD	3.2 mi	44,114	$135,057	$566,500
20701	Annapolis Junction, MD	3.8 mi	513	$85,594	—
21075	Elkridge, MD	5 mi	37,363	$135,303	$455,300
20709	Laurel, MD · PO box	5.2 mi	—	—	—
20725	Laurel, MD · PO box	5.2 mi	—	—	—
20726	Laurel, MD · PO box	5.2 mi	—	—	—
20759	Fulton, MD	5.3 mi	6,624	$250,000+	$954,700
21043	Ellicott City, MD	5.9 mi	48,525	$148,125	$620,900

Zip codes like 21046 elsewhere

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

Monmouth Junction, NJ

Questions about 21046

What city is zip code 21046?

21046 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 21046 in?

21046 is in Howard County, Maryland.

What is the population of 21046?

About 15,608 people live in 21046, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

What time zone is 21046 in?

21046 is in Eastern Time.

What is the median household income in 21046?

The median household income in 21046 is $127,813.

What zip codes are near 21046?

The closest zip codes to 21046 are 21045, 20763, 20794, 20723, 21044.

Demographic figures are 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 21046, from the U.S. Census Bureau. Small areas have wide margins of error. How we build these numbers.