The story of this market
The typical home in ZIP 21036 sells for about $843,200, or $285 per square foot.
Prices are up +2.4% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Homes take about 32 days to sell. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $2,800 a month.
ZIP 21036 — Dayton
The housing market in 21036 remains characterized by low inventory and high demand, keeping prices elevated. Market conditions are driven by the area's high median income and the limited supply of available land for new construction. While sales volume is low, the high sale-to-list ratio indicates strong buyer competition for the few homes that reach the market.
This ZIP is best suited for affluent families and professionals seeking large-lot rural living while maintaining access to the amenities and employment centers of Howard County.
Median prices moved up 2.4% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 32 days on market with 4.0 months of supply — a fast-moving market.
15% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 98.5% of asking — demand is running ahead of supply.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 7.5% · poverty 2.2% — a stable, low-distress profile.
Researched annual trajectory for this ZIP, from published historical series
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 3.7%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
Median annual property tax paid on this ZIP's residential parcels
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 3.7%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
versus the prior ACS vintage
net influx — more people moved in than out
ZCTA 21036, Howard County MD
ACS 2024 5-year estimates. Aggregate published statistics for this ZIP — never individual records, and never an attribute of any individual property or resident.
Dayton is a rural, unincorporated community with very low reported crime rates, significantly lower than the Maryland state average.
The area is served by the Howard County Public School System, which is consistently ranked among the top-performing districts in Maryland.
The area has low wildfire risk but faces moderate localized flood risks near stream valleys; property insurance premiums are stable relative to coastal Maryland.
Economic momentum is driven by proximity to the Baltimore-Washington corridor and major employers in Columbia and Fort Meade, with limited new residential development due to rural zoning.
Composed from the ARED governance burden registry — tier-native tax structure (state + county + city + special districts), never averaged. State (Maryland) — Maryland Real Property Assessment and Taxation: Property is assessed at its phased-in use value. The tax is calculated by multiplying the assessed value by the applicable state and local tax rates.
Commuting typically requires a personal vehicle, with residents driving 20-30 minutes to reach major employment hubs in Columbia, Baltimore, or the I-95 corridor.
Residents have access to nearby rural parks and trails, including the Patuxent River State Park, with major shopping and dining located in neighboring Columbia.
The rental market is extremely limited with very low inventory, primarily consisting of single-family home rentals; vacancy pressure is high due to the lack of multi-family housing.
The economy is anchored by the professional services, government contracting, and technology sectors in the surrounding Howard County region.
Public transit is non-existent in this rural ZIP; residents are entirely dependent on private vehicles for transportation.
Development is constrained by Howard County's 'PlanHoward 2030' which prioritizes rural preservation and limits high-density growth in this area.
The Howard County Department of Assessments and Taxation conducts triennial reassessments of all real property.
Parcels are subject to Howard County Public School System taxes and may fall within specific fire and rescue service districts.
Property insurance market is stable, though homeowners in flood-prone areas near the Patuxent River may require supplemental flood insurance.
Maryland continues to see modest net domestic migration, with Howard County remaining a preferred destination for high-income households.
Maryland is a judicial foreclosure state, requiring court intervention for all foreclosure proceedings.
Maryland law requires sellers to provide a residential property disclosure statement covering the condition of the home's major systems.
Data retrieved from data.census.gov ZCTA 21036 profile.
Public schools whose reported address is in this area (NCES). Not attendance boundaries — schools that serve residents may sit outside it. Check the district's address locator for assignment.
Large state park offering extensive hiking, equestrian trails, and natural scenery.
Local community park with sports fields and playground facilities.
Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.