ZIP Code 20878: Population, Income, Housing

State: MD
Total population: 66,115 Household income: $144,313 Rent: $2,226

Overview

Total population
66,115
Rent
$2,226
Year built
1987
Household income
$144,313
Per capita income
$69,431
Poverty rate
5.2%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Household size
2.7 persons
Rent over 30% of income
40.3%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State
Maryland
County
Montgomery County
City
Gaithersburg
Total population
66,115
Adults over 25
46,351
Total households
24,237
Household size
2.7 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Income & Poverty

Household income
$144,313
Per capita income
$69,431
Poverty rate
5.2%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Rent over 30% of income
40.3%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Housing

Rent
$2,226
Year built
1987
Households that rent
30.8%
Households that own
69.2%
Rooms per home (all homes)
6.6

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Race

White
45.5%
Black
10.4%
Asian
27.4%
Two or more races
9.6%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
14.2%
Not Hispanic or Latino
85.8%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Commute

Commute rate
24,087 (66.9%)
Commute time to work
29 mins
Work from home
11,937 (33.1%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Education

Less than high school
13.8%
High school graduate or GED
10.6%
Some college or associate degree
5.3%
Bachelor’s degree or higher
70.3%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

 

Comparison of ZIP Code 20878 with: Montgomery County, MD Washington metro area, DC-VA-MD-WV Maryland United States

ZIP 20878

Total population66,115
Rent$2,226
Year built1987
Household income$144,313
Per capita income$69,431
Poverty rate5.2%
Unemployment rateN/A

Montgomery County, MD

Total population1,065,949
Rent$2,068
Year built1980
Household income$132,450
Per capita income$67,571
Poverty rate7.5%
Unemployment rate2.4%

Washington Metro Area, DC-VA-MD-WV

Total population6,318,377
Rent$2,027
Year built1983
Household income$126,684
Per capita income$63,554
Poverty rate8.1%
Unemployment rate3%

Maryland State

Total population6,206,011
Rent$1,705
Year built1979
Household income$103,678
Per capita income$52,979
Poverty rate9.4%
Unemployment rate3%

United States

Total population334,922,499
Rent$1,413
Year built1980
Household income$80,734
Per capita income$44,673
Poverty rate12.5%
Unemployment rate4%
Metric ZIP20878 CountyMontgomery, MDMetro AreaWashington metro area, DC-VA-MD-WVStateMarylandCountryUnited States
Total population66,1151,065,9496,318,3776,206,011334,922,499
Rent$2,226$2,068$2,027$1,705$1,413
Year built19871980198319791980
Household income$144,313$132,450$126,684$103,678$80,734
Per capita income$69,431$67,571$63,554$52,979$44,673
Poverty rate5.2%7.5%8.1%9.4%12.5%
Unemployment rateN/A2.4%3%3%4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

 

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Summary for 20878

Rent & Income

In 20878, the typical monthly rent is $2,226 and the typical household income is $144,313. Rent here is higher than Maryland, and household income is higher than Maryland. The estimated poverty rate is 5.2%.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 30.8% of households. About 40.3% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is very high, with about 70.3% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

 

ZIP 20878 — Rent vs Household Income

 

 

ZIP 20878 — Poverty

 

 

How ZIP 20878 compares in Maryland (86 ZIP Codes)

Metric This ZIP Rank Starts from State range
Rent $2,226 76 / 86 from lower rent $773 – $3,501
Household income $144,313 11 / 86 from higher income $38,409 – $250,001
Poverty rate 5.2% 20 / 86 from lower poverty 2.6% – 31.6%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in Maryland with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

 

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 20878

Rent

Rent-wise, this area comes 76th out of 86 ZIP Codes in Maryland. At the state level, values extend from $773 in ZIP 21502 up to $3,501 in ZIP 20854.

Household income

Looking at income levels, ZIP Code 20878 holds the 11th out of 86 ZIP Codes. In Maryland as a whole, the range goes from $38,409 in ZIP 21217 up to $250,001 in ZIP 20854.

Poverty rate

Regarding poverty rate, ZIP Code 20878 ranks 20th out of 86 ZIP Codes. Statewide, values range from 2.6% in ZIP 20854 up to 31.6% in ZIP 21217.

 

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 20878 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $2,226 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 20878

Annual Household Income: $144,313

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 20878

Estimated Rate: 5.2%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 20878

In ZIP Code 20878, households that rent: 7,463 (30.8%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?
Household Type Count Share
Renter-Occupied 7,463 30.8%
Owner-Occupied 16,774 69.2%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 20878

In ZIP Code 20878, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 3,005 (40.3%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?
Household Group Households Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%) 3,005 40.3%
Other renter households 4,458 59.7%
Total renter households 7,463 100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 20878

Less than High School: 6,408 people (13.8%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 4,902 people (10.6%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 2,438 people (5.3%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 32,603 people (70.3%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 46,351

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

 

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.