Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, speaker, 2014
Highland’s story
148 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2014.
- 1878Highland is settled
HighlandMD
Home to 972 people, the town was settled in 1878.
Montrose · Photo: Pubdog · Public domain
Population
972
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$1.01M
+2.6% in a year
Household income
$250K
median
Median age
40.5
years
Jobs based here
290
A commuter town
Is Highland a good place to live?
81% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Highland, above both the Maryland town median (42%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). Only 2 of the 262 Maryland towns we compare have a higher share of children under 18 than Highland. Highland has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
972 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Nearby attractions
All 318 attractions →White House and 283 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Highland. Close and well known come first.
Big draw20 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw21 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw22 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw22 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw21 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw21 mi National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain
Getting set up
Moving to Highland: who provides what
Highland is unincorporated, so Howard County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerBaltimore Gas & Electric20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesHoward CountyHoward County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Maryland you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereHoward County Board of ElectionsHoward County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP codes20777, 2075920777 86% · 20759 14%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 11, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Highland.
Housing
Highland’s typical home value is about $1.01M
Highland: nine in ten households live in a home they own. In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 2.6%.
$1.01MZillow home value
Typical home value
Highland$1.01M
Maryland$425K
+2.6%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Highland is inland flooding, at a very low overall level
The risk rating from FEMA in Highland is 4 of 100. FEMA puts 63% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 7% to hurricanes. One declared disaster, in 2003, has brought federal aid to Highland households.
4risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesHeat waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
In Highland, the median household income runs higher than in the typical Maryland or U.S. town
The share of residents in Highland who live below the poverty line: 3.4%. Most working residents leave Highland for work: only 1% work in town. Its average commute comes in at 30 minutes. It had 290 jobs in 2023, up 31 from 2013.
1%work in town
| Highland | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $250,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 3.4% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 32 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.8% | 3.1% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Highland1%
Columbia12%
Baltimore7%
Fulton6%
Washington5%
14 mi
median commute distance
290
jobs based in Highland
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Highland has four seasons and pleasant summers
In July, afternoons reach 87°; in January, nights fall to 25°, and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–44°
Spring43–64°
Summer64–84°
Fall46–67°
Nov 1
typical first frost
Apr 10
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Outdoors
Protected land: 12.9% of Highland
1.0 miles of trail. In Highland, the trail density is 0.4 miles per square mile.
12.9%conserved
12.9%
conserved · 198 of 1,540 acres
1.0 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Health
A smaller share of adults report frequent physical distress in Highland than in most of Maryland or the rest of the country
Among 262 Maryland towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Highland. 17% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Highland. Two figures for adults here: 13% get no exercise outside work, 26% have obesity. This Maryland town beats the Maryland average on 24 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
| Highland | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 23% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 36% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 34% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Maryland
24 better6 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Highland | MD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 2.8% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 5.4% | 15.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.5% | 7.6% |
Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center
4.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Highland
17pages on Highland
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
9 within 15 miles of the center of Highland
Maryland University of Integrative HealthUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Laurel4 miHoward Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Columbia4.6 mi$4,080 in-state tuitionUniversity of Maryland-College ParkUniversity or college · Public · College Park13.8 mi$11,809 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Highland residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Maryland.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Highland for work
Where Highland’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
290jobs based in Highland
1%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Highland
Unincorporated community in Maryland, United States
Highland is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 1,133. It uses the 20777 ZIP code.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 520 ft
- ZIP code
- 20777
Questions about Highland
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Highland, MD a good place to live?
Highland has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Highland, MD known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Brian Johnston and Samuel Harding.