21045 ZIP Code — Columbia, MD
Howard County, Maryland
ZIP code 21045 is located in Columbia, Maryland, within Howard County. It covers approximately 9.70 square miles and serves a population of 40,980 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 443/410/240/667/301.
About ZIP code 21045
The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $420,400. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 70%.
Median household income is $115,134.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 29 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is high — 58% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national average of 33%.
40,980
population
9.70
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Eastern (ET)
timezone
21045 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 21045
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 21045. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Columbia | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
21046 Columbia (2.3 mi)
21044 Columbia (2.9 mi)
21043 Ellicott City (3.9 mi)
20794 Jessup (4.9 mi)
20763 Savage (5.1 mi)
20723 Laurel (5.2 mi)
20701 Annapolis Junction (5.8 mi)
21076 Hanover (6 mi)
21228 Catonsville (6 mi)
21042 Ellicott City (6.2 mi)
20759 Fulton (6.3 mi)
21029 Clarksville (6.7 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 40,980 |
| Population density | 4,225 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 24 |
| County FIPS | 027 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 9.70 sq mi |
| Water area | 0.09 sq mi |
| Latitude | 39.2078 |
| Longitude | -76.8264 |
| Timezone | Eastern (ET) |
| Area code | 443/410/240/667/301 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 20.8% | 17.1% | 28.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 26.2% | 22.9% | 28.2% |
| $100k – $200k | 38.5% | 34.8% | 30.1% |
| Over $200k | 14.6% | 25.2% | 13.4% |
Demographics & statistics
40,980
Population
4,225
People per sq mi
38.0
Median age
$115,134
Median household income
$51,768
Per capita income
$420,400
Median home value
$1,602
Median monthly rent
70.1%
Home ownership
8.2%
Poverty rate
4.5%
Unemployment
11,238
Housing units
58.2%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
1,304
Under 5
1,379
1,147
5–9
1,214
1,336
10–14
1,413
1,246
15–19
1,319
1,056
20–24
1,117
2,722
25–34
2,881
2,993
35–44
3,168
2,225
45–54
2,354
1,089
55–59
1,153
1,297
60–64
1,373
1,897
65–74
2,007
1,118
75–84
1,183
481
85+
508
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 9,329 | 22.8% |
| 18 and over | 31,651 | 77.2% |
| 65 and over | 7,194 | 17.6% |
| Median age | 38.0 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
44.2%
Black or African American
29.4%
Asian
10.5%
Two or more races
6.5%
Hispanic or Latino
5.9%
Other race
3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.3%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 19,243 | 44.2% |
| Black or African American | 12,778 | 29.4% |
| Asian | 4,569 | 10.5% |
| Two or more races | 2,820 | 6.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,549 | 5.9% |
| Other race | 1,425 | 3.3% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 145 | 0.3% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 20.8% | 17.1% | 28.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 26.2% | 22.9% | 28.2% |
| $100k – $200k | 38.5% | 34.8% | 30.1% |
| Over $200k | 14.6% | 25.2% | 13.4% |
Under $10k
2.7%
$10k–$15k
2.4%
$15k–$25k
4.9%
$25k–$35k
3.9%
$35k–$50k
5.1%
$50k–$75k
10.6%
$75k–$100k
12.1%
$100k–$150k
21.6%
$150k–$200k
16.0%
$200k+
20.8%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 2.7% |
| $10k–$15k | 2.4% |
| $15k–$25k | 4.9% |
| $25k–$35k | 3.9% |
| $35k–$50k | 5.1% |
| $50k–$75k | 10.6% |
| $75k–$100k | 12.1% |
| $100k–$150k | 21.6% |
| $150k–$200k | 16.0% |
| $200k+ | 20.8% |
| Median income | $115,134 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
1.2%
$100k–$150k
1.0%
$150k–$200k
3.9%
$200k–$300k
8.2%
$300k–$500k
58.1%
$500k–$1M
27.6%
$1M+
0.1%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $420,400 |
| Median rent / month | $1,602 |
| Owner occupied | 70.1% |
| Renter occupied | 29.9% |
| Vacant | 3.0% |
| Single-family detached | 45.2% |
| Large apartment buildings | 7.2% |
| Mobile homes | 0.1% |
| Median rooms | 6.6 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.63 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.0% |
| 2010–2019 | 1.4% |
| 2000–2009 | 5.0% |
| 1990–1999 | 14.4% |
| 1980–1989 | 20.6% |
| 1970–1979 | 49.3% |
| 1960–1969 | 6.0% |
| 1950–1959 | 1.4% |
| 1940–1949 | 0.2% |
| 1939 or earlier | 1.7% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 2.0% |
| 1 bedroom | 8.6% |
| 2 bedrooms | 15.8% |
| 3 bedrooms | 36.8% |
| 4 bedrooms | 31.4% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 5.4% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 7.1% |
| 1 vehicle | 32.4% |
| 2 vehicles | 41.0% |
| 3 or more | 19.5% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 47.0% |
| Electricity | 50.5% |
| Propane / LP gas | 0.7% |
| Fuel oil | 0.8% |
| Wood | 0.2% |
| Solar | 0.2% |
| No fuel used | 0.7% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 7,666 | 49.9% |
| Cohabiting couple | 781 | 5.1% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 2,227 | 14.5% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 4,690 | 30.5% |
| Households with children under 18 | 4,827 | 31.4% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 4,932 | 32.1% |
| Average household size | 2.66 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 36.3% | 31.7% |
| Married | 53.6% | 44.8% |
| Separated | 1.1% | 1.5% |
| Widowed | 2.4% | 7.2% |
| Divorced | 6.7% | 14.8% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
3.6%
Some HS, no diploma
2.7%
HS graduate
14.2%
Some college, no degree
14.9%
Associate's degree
6.5%
Bachelor's degree
26.6%
Graduate / professional
31.6%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 93.8% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 58.2% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 712 | 6.7% |
| Kindergarten | 402 | 3.8% |
| Elementary school | 3,878 | 36.7% |
| High school | 2,195 | 20.7% |
| College / grad school | 3,393 | 32.1% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
28.3%
Professional & management
18.0%
Public administration
9.2%
Arts, food & hospitality
8.7%
Retail trade
7.8%
Finance & real estate
6.9%
Construction
5.1%
Other services
4.2%
Manufacturing
4.0%
Transportation & utilities
3.9%
Information
2.4%
Wholesale trade
1.2%
Agriculture & mining
0.4%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 57.9% |
| Service | 14.5% |
| Sales & office | 17.1% |
| Natural resources & construction | 3.8% |
| Production & transportation | 6.7% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 72.2% |
| Government | 22.5% |
| Self-employed | 5.3% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 70.1% |
| Carpool | 6.0% |
| Public transit | 3.7% |
| Walk | 1.1% |
| Work from home | 18.2% |
| Other means | 0.9% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 28.5 |
Poverty
All people
8.2%
Under 18 years
10.3%
18 and over
7.6%
Married-couple families
2.1%
Female-led households
14.9%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 26.7% |
| Retirement income | 24.3% |
| Supplemental Security | 6.3% |
| Cash public assistance | 2.4% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 9.4% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 28.7% |
| High blood pressure | 31.0% |
| High cholesterol | 31.0% |
| Diabetes | 8.9% |
| Heart disease | 4.2% |
| Stroke | 2.3% |
| Asthma | 9.1% |
| Arthritis | 19.6% |
| Kidney disease | 2.3% |
| Pulmonary disease | 3.9% |
| Cancer | 5.5% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 10.2% |
| Binge drinking | 12.8% |
| No physical activity | 17.9% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 33.5% |
| Depression | 15.9% |
| Fair or poor health | 9.4% |
| Poor mental health | 12.2% |
| Poor physical health | 6.7% |
| No health insurance | 9.1% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 75.9% |
| Visited dentist | 71.0% |
| Cholesterol screening | 93.0% |
| Teeth loss | 7.0% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 2,355 | 7.5% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 13.4% |
| Under 18 | 3.8% |
| 18–64 years | 10.0% |
| 65 and over | 37.5% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 74.0% |
| Public insurance | 33.8% |
| No insurance | 6.4% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 4.2% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 38,297 | 93.5% |
| Spanish | 3,786 | 9.9% |
| Other Indo-European | 1,450 | 3.8% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 840 | 2.2% |
| Other languages | 1,177 | 3.1% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 31,681 | 77.3% |
| Born in same state | 31,036 | 75.7% |
| Born in different state | 15,655 | 38.2% |
| Foreign born | 645 | 1.6% |
| Naturalized citizen | 9,299 | 22.7% |
| Not a US citizen | 5,489 | 59.0% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | 3,132 | 7.6% |
| French | 2,885 | 7% |
| Arab | 1,286 | 3.1% |
| Irish | 255 | 0.6% |
| Polish | 135 | 0.3% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Norwegian | 121 | 0.3% |
| German | 116 | 0.3% |
| English | 98 | 0.2% |
| Dutch | 24 | 0.1% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 37.5% |
| Internet access | 96.2% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 21045
What city is ZIP code 21045 in?
ZIP code 21045 is primarily assigned to Columbia, Maryland.
What county is ZIP code 21045 in?
ZIP code 21045 falls within Howard County, Maryland.
How educated is the population of ZIP code 21045?
58% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — well above the national average of ~33%, reflecting a highly educated population.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 21045?
The median home value in ZIP code 21045 is $420,400.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 21045?
The median household income in ZIP code 21045 is $115,134, above the national median of ~$75,000.
What is the population of ZIP code 21045?
ZIP code 21045 has an estimated population of 40,980 residents, with a density of 4,226 people per square mile.
What timezone is ZIP code 21045 in?
ZIP code 21045 observes the EST timezone.