ZIP 21045
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Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
February. Asking rents in ZIP 21045 usually run 0.3% below trend in February and 0.5% above it in July, about $18 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 21045 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in February 2015.
Rent in ZIP 21045 changed +5.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 124 Maryland ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 21045 rose 29.8% while median household income rose 14.1% ($103,932 to $118,563). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 21045 is 37.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 7 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($118,563) is $2,964 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($2,880).
2nd cheapest of 3 ZIP codes in Columbia.
ZIP 21046, 2 miles away, rents for 13% less ($1,952/mo), about $3,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 21045. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Who lives here
ZIP 21045 (Columbia, MD) is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 56.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 21045 in Columbia, MD has changed in 5 years
Rent in ZIP 21045 in Columbia, MD has increased 31.2% since 2021, going from about $1,716 per month to roughly $2,252 today. Census figures show median household income at $118,563 today, compared with $110,111 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 23.5 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 40,522 to 40,034 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.2% change. About 31.7% of households rent today, against 29.2% in 2021. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 21045
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 21045 covers Columbia, MD. The median rent here is $2,252/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,670/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,050/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($118,563/yr), ZIP 21045 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 21045 compare to other ZIPs in Maryland?
How does ZIP 21045 compare to the rest of Columbia?
At $2,252/mo, rent takes ~23% of ZIP 21045's median household income ($118,563/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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