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Moving to Columbia MD 21046?

Everything you need to know before moving to Columbia MD 21046. Is Columbia MD safe? Is Columbia MD a good place to live? The data below covers it. Demographics, public and private schools, FBI and state crime stats, air quality, climate, and top-rated restaurants. Live data from public APIs. No signup, no email required.

ZIP 21046: Columbia, MD at a Glance

Howard County

People & Housing in Columbia MD

Is Columbia MD a good place to live? Median income, housing, and who calls ZIP 21046 home.

Suburban

Population

15,894

Total people living in this ZIP. Bigger or smaller isn't better. Just how busy the area is.

Mixed

Median Age

37.7 yrs

Half the residents are older than this, half younger. A quick snapshot of who lives here.

Nat'l avg: 38.9 yrs

Upper Income

Median Household Income

$125,280

What the typical household earns per year. Higher usually means a more affluent area.

Nat'l avg: $74,580

Expensive

Median Home Value

$436,400

What the typical owner-occupied home is worth. Use it to gauge if home prices fit your budget.

Nat'l avg: $281,900

Pricey

Median Rent

$2,047 /mo

Average monthly rent. Lower means more affordable for renters.

Nat'l avg: $1,402 /mo

Mixed Tenure

Owner-Occupied

57.4%

Share of homes lived in by their owners. Higher often signals a more settled, established neighborhood.

Nat'l avg: 64.7%

College Town

Bachelor's or Higher

60.6%

Share of adults 25+ who finished college. Often tracks with stronger job markets and schools.

Nat'l avg: 35.4%

Normal Commute

Mean Commute

27 min

How long the typical worker travels to their job each day. Shorter means less time in the car or on transit.

Nat'l avg: 26 min

Crime & Safety in Columbia MD

Is Columbia MD safe? Here's what the FBI and local police report for ZIP 21046.

Moderate

Violent Crime Rate

4 / 1k

Homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, and sexual assault per 1,000 residents per year.

Elevated

Property Crime Rate

31.3 / 1k

Burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson per 1,000 residents per year.

Elevated

Overall Crime Rate

49.2 / 1k

All reported incidents per 1,000 residents per year, including non-violent and non-property offenses.

Source: Howard County Police Department. Last 12 months (2025-07-01 to 2026-06-30). Rates per 1,000 residents using ACS population. Dataset.

Restaurants & Cafés Near Columbia MD

Moving to Columbia MD 21046? These are the top-rated restaurants and cafés within 5 miles.

20+restaurants20+caféswithin 5 miles

Must Visit

JAM Eateries

4.7(8,900 reviews)· $$

Breakfast

6010 University Blvd, Ellicott City, MD 21043, USA

Must Visit

Royal Taj Restaurant

4.8(5,766 reviews)· $$

Indian

8335 Benson Dr, Columbia, MD 21045, USA

Texas Roadhouse

4.3(4,945 reviews)· $$

American

8820 Stanford Blvd, Columbia, MD 21045, USA

The Cheesecake Factory

3.9(4,734 reviews)· $$

American

10300 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, MD 21044, USA

Must Visit

Glenwood's (Stanford Grill - Columbia)

4.6(4,623 reviews)· $$

American

8900 Stanford Blvd, Columbia, MD 21045, USA

McDonald's

3.7(2,135 reviews)· $

American

7878 Pocomoke Ave, Jessup, MD 20794, USA

Schools Near Columbia MD

Moving to Columbia MD 21046? Public and private schools closest to this ZIP, with the ones parents typically look at.

38elementary10middle13highwithin 5 miles · 47 public · 17 private

Hammond High

Public

High· 0.4 mi away

Grades 09 to 12

8800 Guilford Rd, Columbia, MD, 21046

Visit website

COLUMBIA ACADEMY

Private

Elementary· 1.2 mi away

· Nonsectarian· 196 students

10350 OLD COLUMBIA RD, COLUMBIA, MD, 21046

Atholton Elementary

Public

Elementary· 1.2 mi away

Grades PK to 05

6700 Seneca Dr, Columbia, MD, 21046

Visit website

Guilford Elementary

Public

Elementary· 1.3 mi away

Grades PK to 05

7335 Oakland Mills Rd, Columbia, MD, 21046

Visit website

Lake Elkhorn Middle

Public

Middle· 1.6 mi away

Grades 06 to 08

6680 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD, 21045

Visit website

Cradlerock Elementary

Public

Elementary· 1.6 mi away

Grades PK to 05

6700 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD, 21045

Visit website

MOUNTHAVEN CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

Private

Other· 1.7 mi away

· Other religious· 4 students

801 ROEDER ROAD, STE 775, SILVER SPRING, MD, 20910

THE MANDALA SCHOOL INC

Private

Elementary· 1.7 mi away

· Other religious· 23 students

6315 HILLSIDE CT STE D, COLUMBIA, MD, 21046

Murray Hill Middle

Public

Middle· 1.7 mi away

Grades 06 to 08

9989 Winter Sun Rd, Laurel, MD, 20723

Visit website

ATHOLTON ADVENTIST ACADEMY

Private

Other· 1.7 mi away

· Other religious· 168 students

6520 MARTIN RD, COLUMBIA, MD, 21044

Gorman Crossing Elementary

Public

Elementary· 1.8 mi away

Grades PK to 05

9999 Winter Sun Rd, Laurel, MD, 20723

Visit website

Atholton High

Public

High· 1.9 mi away

Grades 09 to 12

6520 Freetown Rd, Columbia, MD, 21044

Visit website

Public schools: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25. Private schools: NCES Private School Survey 2021-22 (newest released, biennial).

Air Quality in Columbia MD

Is Columbia MD safe to breathe? Live EPA readings for particulates, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide.

Clean Air

EPA US AQI

The EPA's overall Air Quality Index. 0-50 good, 51-100 moderate, 101+ starts being unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Nat'l avg: 50

Clean

PM2.5

8.4 µg/m³

Tiny particles from car exhaust, fires, and dust that get deep into your lungs. Lower is healthier. EPA's safe limit is 9.

Nat'l avg: 9 µg/m³

Clean

PM10

9.6 µg/m³

Coarser airborne particles like dust and pollen. WHO considers under 15 µg/m³ healthy.

Nat'l avg: 15 µg/m³

Moderate

Ozone

71 µg/m³

Ground-level ozone, the main ingredient in smog. Spikes on hot, sunny days.

Nat'l avg: 100 µg/m³

Low NO2

NO₂

9.6 µg/m³

Nitrogen dioxide, mostly from car exhaust. Higher near busy roads and highways.

Nat'l avg: 10 µg/m³

Low CO

Carbon Monoxide

226 µg/m³

Carbon monoxide from cars, gas heaters, and fires. Outdoor levels in residential areas usually run well below safety limits.

Nat'l avg: 4000 µg/m³

Climate in Columbia MD (3-yr avg)

Moving to Columbia MD 21046? Summer highs, winter lows, precipitation, and how hot or cold it actually gets.

Warm

Summer Avg High

84.9°F

How hot a typical summer afternoon gets. Personal taste. Some love it warm.

Mild

Winter Avg Low

30.5°F

How cold a typical winter night gets. Below freezing means real winters.

Wet

Annual Rainfall

47.8"

Total inches of rain per year. U.S. average is around 30 inches.

Minimal

Annual Snowfall

3.6"

Average inches of snow per year. 0-5 mild, 30+ serious winter, shoveling weather.

Hot Often

Days ≥ 90°F / yr

How many days a year feel sweltering. More days = bigger AC bills.

Many Freezes

Days ≤ 32°F / yr

How many days a year hit freezing. More days = bigger heating bills and icy mornings.

Annual Avg High

65.6°F

Average daily high across the year. Useful one-number summary of how warm the area runs.

Annual Avg Low

48.6°F

Average daily low across the year. Together with the high, gives you the typical temperature swing.

Data sources: ZIP geocoding via Zippopotam, demographics from the U.S. Census Bureau's ACS 5-year survey (2022), air quality and climate from Open-Meteo, restaurants from Google Places (powered by Google). National averages from ACS 2022. Census numbers reflect a rolling 5-year average. Air quality reflects the most recent hourly observation. Climate averages cover the 3 most recent calendar years. Restaurant data filtered to 1,000+ reviews within 5 miles. Verify with local sources before making relocation decisions.

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