A Gaithersburg ZIP code is a mail route, not a municipal boundary or a uniform price tier.

Key Takeaway

Gaithersburg homes use five residential ZIP codes (20877, 20878, 20879, 20882, and 20886), but a Gaithersburg address doesn't guarantee a home is inside city limits, so verify the exact address before comparing taxes or services. For most budgets, townhouses are the place to start, selling at a median $545,006 in the 90 days ending September 30, 2026. Condos offer a slower, more negotiable alternative.

Who This Guide Is For

You're looking at homes with a Gaithersburg address and need to know which ZIP code an area falls in, and what that ZIP does and doesn't tell you about price, taxes, and schools.

What ZIP Codes Does Gaithersburg, MD, Have?

The five standard residential delivery ZIP codes for Gaithersburg, MD, are 20877, 20878, 20879, 20882, and 20886. Third-party aggregations of USPS data assign ten ZIP codes in all to the Gaithersburg name. The other five serve PO boxes or a single address, so you won't find homes for sale in them.

These ZIP codes don't define the city. The City of Gaithersburg's limits don't follow Postal Service lines, and a single ZIP code can hold homes priced $600,000 apart.

Gaithersburg ZIP Codes Mostly Inside City Limits

The 20877 and 20878 ZIP codes hold the majority of the incorporated city. Homes here are more likely to receive city services and pay the city property tax rate.

Even within these two ZIP codes, boundaries weave in and out of the city. Don't assume a house is incorporated just because it shares a ZIP code with City Hall.

20878

The 20878 ZIP code covers the west side of Gaithersburg. It takes in planned communities like Kentlands and Lakelands alongside Quince Orchard, Crown, and Washingtonian Center. Kentlands was designed beginning in 1988 by town planners Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk as a traditional-neighborhood development.

This ZIP code also reaches into unincorporated Montgomery County areas like North Potomac. Two homes in 20878 can therefore receive different tax bills and municipal services.

20877

Central Gaithersburg uses the 20877 ZIP code, which includes the Town Center, Olde Towne, and the Shady Grove areas. Commuters often look here because Gaithersburg's MARC commuter-rail station sits in Olde Towne on the Brunswick Line. Check the train schedule against your commute before counting on it.

Gaithersburg ZIP Codes Mostly Outside City Limits

The 20879, 20882, and 20886 ZIP codes use the Gaithersburg mailing name but largely cover unincorporated Montgomery County. Homes in these areas generally fall outside city jurisdiction, so county services apply instead of city services.

Community associations and lot sizes vary widely across these three ZIP codes.

20886

The 20886 ZIP code is Montgomery Village, created in 1962 by Kettler Brothers as a planned community. It operates with a layered community association structure.

Homes here often owe a Montgomery Village Foundation assessment on top of any local HOA or condo fee. For 2026, the MVF assessment is $22.42 per unit per month, and the Designated User assessment is $46.92 per unit per month.

20879

East Gaithersburg uses the 20879 ZIP code, which includes Flower Hill and streets bordering Montgomery Village. Unlike 20886, this area doesn't have a single village-wide foundation layer. HOA dues and regulations change from subdivision to subdivision, so compare dues before you compare two listings on price alone.

20882

The 20882 ZIP code covers the rural north end, with larger lots and farmland that feel like a different market. Much of this area falls outside the public water and sewer service area managed by WSSC Water. Many homes here run on private wells and septic systems, so budget for well and septic inspections.

PO Box and Single-Address ZIP Codes

The ZIP codes 20883, 20884, 20885, and 20898 serve PO boxes only. The unique ZIP code 20899 is assigned to the National Institute of Standards and Technology campus. If a property record or tax document shows one of these numbers, it's the owner's mailing address, not the property's physical location.

Gaithersburg Home Prices by Property Type

Local market data tracks prices at the city level rather than by individual ZIP code. The most useful first filter is property type, because prices and competition vary sharply between single-family homes, townhouses, and condos.

If you want recent sales for a specific street or ZIP code, Dart Homes can pull that data on request. Otherwise, use the citywide figures from the 90 days ending September 30, 2026, in the at-a-glance list to set your expectations, and recheck the latest housing market trends before you make an offer.

Single-Family Homes

Single-family homes are the fastest, tightest segment of the Gaithersburg market. About one in three sold for more than asking in the latest 90 days, with the median sale price reaching $864,655.

This segment has the highest entry price and the least negotiating room. With just 2.9 months of supply, you'll need a pre-approval in hand, and you'll have limited time to deliberate on an offer.

Townhouses

Townhouses made up 67 of the 135 total sales in the latest 90 days. They had 4.2 months of supply and near-balanced negotiation at a mid-range budget. If you want the most choice without stepping into single-family competition, this is where to start.

The downside is that HOA dues sit on top of the purchase price and vary by community. Ask the HOA for current dues and reserve funds.

Condos

Condos sold at a median $266,973, and with six months of supply, buyers still have time to negotiate without rushing. Condo prices jumped year over year, but the segment moves slower than either of the other two types.

This data rests on a small sample of only 26 sales, so the median can swing from quarter to quarter. Condo fees and lender approval vary by building, so ask the management company for current fees and whether the building is FHA-approved.

How to Check a Gaithersburg Address Before You Buy

Once you find a house you like, verify its jurisdiction, schools, and utility connections before writing an offer. A full overview of the process is available for anyone buying a home in Gaithersburg.

Check Whether the Address Is Inside City Limits

Run the address through the City of Gaithersburg's official address search tool, or check the official property tax record. The ZIP code and mailing name can't settle this.

Inside the limits, the city levies its own real property tax on top of the county's rate. For Fiscal Year 2027, the city's adopted rate is $0.262 per $100 of assessed value, so build both rates into your cost of living and tax budget.

Look Up the Assigned Schools

School assignment follows Montgomery County Public Schools attendance boundaries, not ZIP codes. The MCPS School Assignment Tool gives the elementary, middle, and high school assignments for an exact address. Boundaries can change, so recheck the tool close to closing and confirm the assignment with MCPS directly.

Confirm Water, Sewer and HOA Costs

Ask whether the home connects to public water and sewer or relies on a well and septic system. Request current HOA, condo, or Montgomery Village Foundation dues in writing. Dues and special assessments change, so getting the current resale disclosure package is safer than relying on a listing's number.

How to Narrow Your Search by ZIP Code and Home Type

If you need the home inside City of Gaithersburg limits for municipal services and the city tax bill, start with the 20877 and 20878 ZIP codes. Then run the address through the city-limits check above.

If you're deciding whether your budget is closer to the townhouse median or the single-family median, review the property type prices before narrowing your search by ZIP code.

If you'd trade public water and sewer for more land, look at the 20882 ZIP code and its well and septic costs.

If you'd rather have time and negotiating room than compete on a fast sale, focus on the condo and townhouse segments, which currently move slower than single-family homes. When you're ready to look at properties, Dart Homes can pull listings that match your exact answers. The best neighborhoods for your answers can still differ street by street within one ZIP code.

At a Glance

  • All homes: median sale price $564,731, up 4.6% year over year (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
  • All homes: 135 sales, median 50 days on market, 99.3% sale-to-list, 25.6% sold above list (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
  • All homes: 4.1 months of supply, 182 homes for sale, $293 median price per square foot (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
  • Single-family: median $864,655, up 6.9% year over year; 44 sales; median 40 days on market; 99.2% sale-to-list; $323 per square foot (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
  • Townhouse: median $545,006, up 3.8% year over year; median 47 days on market; 99.4% sale-to-list; 24.5% sold above list; $284 per square foot (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
  • Condo (based on 26 sales, small sample): median $266,973; median 68 days on market; 99.2% sale-to-list; 16% sold above list; $211 per square foot (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
  • Homes for sale at period end: 41 single-family, 90 townhouses, 50 condos (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
  • Source note: city-level Redfin data; prices are not broken out by ZIP code

Gaithersburg ZIP Code FAQs

How Can I Find the ZIP Code for a Gaithersburg Address?

Enter the address in the USPS ZIP Code Lookup tool, which returns the five-digit ZIP code and the full ZIP+4 extension.

Is Gaithersburg, MD, Closer to DC or Baltimore?

Gaithersburg is closer to Washington, DC, about 27 miles or a 36-minute drive via I-270. Baltimore is about 43 miles away, roughly a 50-minute drive.

Is Germantown or Gaithersburg Better?

It depends on whether you want an incorporated city or an unincorporated area. Germantown is an unincorporated area with its own ZIP codes, so it has no city government layer of services or taxes.

Which Police Department Covers a Gaithersburg Address?

The Gaithersburg Police Department, the city's own force separate from Montgomery County Police, covers homes inside city limits and publishes annual reports on the city website. Outside city limits, Montgomery County Police publishes crime data through the county's open data portal, dataMontgomery, so compare the same time periods across both.

What County Is Gaithersburg, MD, In?

Gaithersburg is in Montgomery County, and every Gaithersburg ZIP code falls within it.

Is Gaithersburg, MD, a City?

Yes, Gaithersburg is an incorporated city with its own government. The mailing name also covers unincorporated Montgomery County streets, so a Gaithersburg address alone doesn't prove the home is inside city limits.

Does Gaithersburg Have a Metro Station?

No, the closest Metro station is Shady Grove on the Red Line. Gaithersburg's rail option is the MARC station in Olde Towne.

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