Highland, Maryland Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 972, Highland's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Highland is a small community located in Maryland, within Howard County. The total population is 972. It ranks as the 337th most populous out of 527 Census-designated places in Maryland.

Age Demographics

The median age in Highland is 40.5 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 39.4 years. With 34.4% of the population under 18, Highland has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Highland is $250,000+. This is 141% higher than the state median of $103,678. It is also 210% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.4%. This is 64% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $914,000. Housing costs are 118% higher than the state median of $419,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 89.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 33% higher than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Highland is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 24.7%. The Black or African American population (12.7%) is well below the state average of 28.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (24.7% vs 12.5%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (13.6% vs 6.5%).

Education

80.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Highland in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 86% higher than the state rate of 43.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 48.9% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Highland, Maryland is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Maryland state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 527 Census-designated places in Maryland. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.