ZIP 21204
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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in ZIP 21204 usually run 1.2% below trend in January and 0.9% above it in July, about $41 a month apart at today's median. Based on 7 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 21204 is 0.3% below its high of $1,949 in June 2026, at $1,943 as of September 2026.
Rent in ZIP 21204 changed +0.7% 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 21204 rose 20.6% while median household income rose 20.5% ($82,655 to $99,606). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 21204 is 23.8% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
30% of the median household income ($99,606) is $2,490 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,200); a 3-bedroom is $2,790.
ZIP 21212, 3 miles away, rents for 13% less ($1,686/mo), about $3,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 21204. 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 21204 (Towson, MD) is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 73.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 21204 in Towson, MD has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in ZIP 21204 in Towson, MD has climbed from $1,625 to $1,943, a 19.6% change over five years. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $90,032 in 2021 to $99,606 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 7.2% since 2021, moving from about 21,378 residents to roughly 19,845. Renters now make up 54.3% of households, compared with 49.1% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 73.1% of adults here, versus 66.7% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 21204 in Towson, MD market of 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 21204
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 21204 covers Towson, MD. The median rent here is $1,943/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,790/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,200/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($99,606/yr), ZIP 21204 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 21204 compare to other ZIPs in Maryland?
How does ZIP 21204 compare to the rest of Towson?
At $1,943/mo, rent takes ~23% of ZIP 21204's median household income ($99,606/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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