21046 ZIP Code — Columbia, MD
Howard County, Maryland
ZIP code 21046 is located in Columbia, Maryland, within Howard County. It covers approximately 7.81 square miles and serves a population of 15,894 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 443/410/240/667/301.
About ZIP code 21046
The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the 1980s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $436,400. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 57%.
Median household income is $125,280. The poverty rate of 7% is below the national average.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 27 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is high — 61% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national average of 33%.
15,894
population
7.81
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Eastern (ET)
timezone
21046 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 21046
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 21046. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Columbia | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
21045 Columbia (2.3 mi)
20723 Laurel (2.9 mi)
20763 Savage (3 mi)
21044 Columbia (3.1 mi)
20794 Jessup (3.4 mi)
20701 Annapolis Junction (4.1 mi)
20759 Fulton (4.9 mi)
20797 Southern Md Facility (5.8 mi)
20724 Laurel (5.8 mi)
20707 Laurel (5.9 mi)
21076 Hanover (6.1 mi)
21043 Ellicott City (6.2 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 15,894 |
| Population density | 2,035 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 24 |
| County FIPS | 027 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 7.81 sq mi |
| Water area | 0.06 sq mi |
| Latitude | 39.1750 |
| Longitude | -76.8372 |
| 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 | 15.8% | 17.1% | 28.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 27.5% | 22.9% | 28.2% |
| $100k – $200k | 40.4% | 34.8% | 30.1% |
| Over $200k | 16.3% | 25.2% | 13.4% |
Demographics & statistics
15,894
Population
2,035
People per sq mi
37.7
Median age
$125,280
Median household income
$59,061
Per capita income
$436,400
Median home value
$2,047
Median monthly rent
57.4%
Home ownership
6.8%
Poverty rate
3.1%
Unemployment
3,786
Housing units
60.6%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
548
Under 5
604
317
5–9
349
403
10–14
445
537
15–19
592
726
20–24
800
953
25–34
1,051
1,244
35–44
1,371
950
45–54
1,047
567
55–59
625
391
60–64
431
688
65–74
758
176
75–84
193
61
85+
67
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 3,393 | 21.3% |
| 18 and over | 12,501 | 78.7% |
| 65 and over | 1,943 | 12.2% |
| Median age | 37.7 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
52.2%
Black or African American
30.5%
Asian
6.7%
Two or more races
5.8%
Hispanic or Latino
3.8%
Other race
0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.2%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 8,621 | 52.2% |
| Black or African American | 5,031 | 30.5% |
| Asian | 1,106 | 6.7% |
| Two or more races | 955 | 5.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 622 | 3.8% |
| Other race | 145 | 0.9% |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 30 | 0.2% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 15.8% | 17.1% | 28.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 27.5% | 22.9% | 28.2% |
| $100k – $200k | 40.4% | 34.8% | 30.1% |
| Over $200k | 16.3% | 25.2% | 13.4% |
Under $10k
2.0%
$10k–$15k
1.6%
$15k–$25k
3.4%
$25k–$35k
1.5%
$35k–$50k
3.9%
$50k–$75k
8.0%
$75k–$100k
10.4%
$100k–$150k
28.8%
$150k–$200k
18.5%
$200k+
22.0%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 2.0% |
| $10k–$15k | 1.6% |
| $15k–$25k | 3.4% |
| $25k–$35k | 1.5% |
| $35k–$50k | 3.9% |
| $50k–$75k | 8.0% |
| $75k–$100k | 10.4% |
| $100k–$150k | 28.8% |
| $150k–$200k | 18.5% |
| $200k+ | 22.0% |
| Median income | $125,280 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
1.4%
$50k–$100k
0.1%
$150k–$200k
1.3%
$200k–$300k
11.7%
$300k–$500k
51.4%
$500k–$1M
34.1%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $436,400 |
| Median rent / month | $2,047 |
| Owner occupied | 57.4% |
| Renter occupied | 42.6% |
| Vacant | 3.2% |
| Single-family detached | 35.9% |
| Large apartment buildings | 6.0% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% |
| Median rooms | 6.4 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.60 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.2% |
| 2010–2019 | 3.4% |
| 2000–2009 | 5.3% |
| 1990–1999 | 12.7% |
| 1980–1989 | 50.6% |
| 1970–1979 | 18.3% |
| 1960–1969 | 5.7% |
| 1950–1959 | 3.3% |
| 1940–1949 | 0.1% |
| 1939 or earlier | 0.4% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 0.3% |
| 1 bedroom | 11.8% |
| 2 bedrooms | 27.6% |
| 3 bedrooms | 29.9% |
| 4 bedrooms | 25.5% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 4.8% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 3.9% |
| 1 vehicle | 30.5% |
| 2 vehicles | 47.3% |
| 3 or more | 18.2% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 20.7% |
| Electricity | 75.0% |
| Propane / LP gas | 0.4% |
| Fuel oil | 2.8% |
| Solar | 0.8% |
| No fuel used | 0.4% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 3,067 | 49.2% |
| Cohabiting couple | 463 | 7.4% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 936 | 15.0% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 1,767 | 28.3% |
| Households with children under 18 | 2,183 | 35.0% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 1,355 | 21.7% |
| Average household size | 2.54 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 37.3% | 39.1% |
| Married | 50.6% | 43.5% |
| Separated | 0.6% | 0.9% |
| Widowed | 1.1% | 5.2% |
| Divorced | 10.4% | 11.3% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.0%
Some HS, no diploma
0.6%
HS graduate
12.3%
Some college, no degree
16.9%
Associate's degree
8.5%
Bachelor's degree
30.6%
Graduate / professional
30.0%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 98.4% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 60.6% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 267 | 7.3% |
| Kindergarten | 159 | 4.4% |
| Elementary school | 1,231 | 33.8% |
| High school | 889 | 24.4% |
| College / grad school | 1,099 | 30.2% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
26.2%
Professional & management
20.3%
Public administration
11.5%
Retail trade
8.1%
Arts, food & hospitality
6.8%
Manufacturing
6.4%
Construction
4.3%
Other services
4.2%
Finance & real estate
4.1%
Information
3.3%
Transportation & utilities
2.6%
Wholesale trade
2.3%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 64.0% |
| Service | 10.3% |
| Sales & office | 18.6% |
| Natural resources & construction | 1.5% |
| Production & transportation | 5.6% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 71.6% |
| Government | 24.5% |
| Self-employed | 3.9% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 73.7% |
| Carpool | 6.3% |
| Public transit | 1.8% |
| Walk | 1.2% |
| Work from home | 15.1% |
| Other means | 2.0% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 27.1 |
Poverty
All people
6.8%
Under 18 years
9.7%
18 and over
6.0%
Married-couple families
0.1%
Female-led households
18.8%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 20.1% |
| Retirement income | 22.1% |
| Supplemental Security | 3.7% |
| Cash public assistance | 1.6% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 5.2% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 27.9% |
| High blood pressure | 28.2% |
| High cholesterol | 30.4% |
| Diabetes | 7.5% |
| Heart disease | 3.6% |
| Stroke | 1.9% |
| Asthma | 9.0% |
| Arthritis | 18.1% |
| Kidney disease | 2.0% |
| Pulmonary disease | 3.6% |
| Cancer | 5.2% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 10.0% |
| Binge drinking | 14.0% |
| No physical activity | 16.0% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 32.7% |
| Depression | 16.6% |
| Fair or poor health | 8.1% |
| Poor mental health | 12.3% |
| Poor physical health | 6.2% |
| No health insurance | 7.6% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 74.8% |
| Visited dentist | 72.8% |
| Cholesterol screening | 92.8% |
| Teeth loss | 5.8% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 803 | 6.5% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 7.3% |
| Under 18 | 5.1% |
| 18–64 years | 5.6% |
| 65 and over | 20.0% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 80.2% |
| Public insurance | 28.2% |
| No insurance | 2.7% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 1.2% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 14,742 | 92.8% |
| Spanish | 786 | 5.3% |
| Other Indo-European | 199 | 1.3% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 201 | 1.4% |
| Other languages | 260 | 1.8% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 13,486 | 84.8% |
| Born in same state | 13,314 | 83.8% |
| Born in different state | 7,354 | 46.3% |
| Foreign born | 172 | 1.1% |
| Naturalized citizen | 2,408 | 15.2% |
| Not a US citizen | 1,346 | 55.9% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | 1,596 | 10% |
| French | 1,486 | 9.3% |
| Arab | 436 | 2.7% |
| Polish | 173 | 1.1% |
| English | 110 | 0.7% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| German | 100 | 0.6% |
| Dutch | 89 | 0.6% |
| Norwegian | 81 | 0.5% |
| Irish | 23 | 0.1% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 39.2% |
| Internet access | 98.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 21046
What city is ZIP code 21046 in?
ZIP code 21046 is primarily assigned to Columbia, Maryland.
What county is ZIP code 21046 in?
ZIP code 21046 falls within Howard County, Maryland.
How educated is the population of ZIP code 21046?
61% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — well above the national average of ~33%, reflecting a highly educated population.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 21046?
The median household income in ZIP code 21046 is $125,280, above the national median of ~$75,000.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 21046?
The median home value in ZIP code 21046 is $436,400.
What is the population of ZIP code 21046?
ZIP code 21046 has an estimated population of 15,894 residents, with a density of 2,035 people per square mile.
What timezone is ZIP code 21046 in?
ZIP code 21046 observes the EST timezone.