ZIP code
19904
in Dover, DelawarePopulation 38,818
47.56/ 100
Ranked #19,491 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 39%)
Ranked #50 of 64 Delaware ZIPs (bottom 22%)
Ranked #9 of 16 Dover, DE ZIPs (bottom 44%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
What defines this ZIP
Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.
Nitrate in drinking water
29.7%
in the top 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
In this ZIP
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Physician access
3.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Obesity
44.4%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 8.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
40.3%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
41.8%
in the top 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
12.3%
in the bottom 8.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Dental provider access
0.62 per 1,000 residents
in the top 17% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The number of dental offices located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
9.2%
in the top 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, ZIP 19904, one of several in Dover, Delaware ranks in the bottom 39% nationally (19,491st) and the bottom 22% of Delaware (50th).
The measures that press hardest set the tone here: modeled nitrate lies in the top 1.6% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site resides at the national minimum. Modeled obesity lands in the top 5.4% nationally, and expected annual loss registers in the top 8.5% nationally. Housing-cost burden sits in the top 9.8% nationally, and modeled short sleep rests in the top 9.9% nationally. On the stronger side, physicians is in the top 3.3% nationally, modeled binge drinking stands in the bottom 8.5% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing settles in the top 10.2% nationally. Transit lies in the top 10.9% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 19934, just across the boundary.
What’s driving this score
Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts. Compare it against the US, this state and the Dover, DE metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 94%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 44%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 27%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 37%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 39%
11%
Disability
healthier than 39%
7%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 95%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 30%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 34%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 38%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 36%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 26%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 20%
8%
Disability
healthier than 26%
7%
Lifting this score
Mental Health
healthier than 64%
8%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 43%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 50%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 57%
11%
Disability
healthier than 43%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
19901
Delawareshares a border
Score 45.15
Closest healthier
19934
Delawareshares a border
Score 52.41
Similar health profile
43946
Ohio95% similar profile
Score 44.67
How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured
Evidence
Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.
Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 29.6% | 26.8–32.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.7% | 37.2–44.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.2% | 7.5–9.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.9% | 11.5–14.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.9% | 6.3–7.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.2–8.9 |
| Depression among adults | 22.5% | 19.4–26.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.1% | 13.5–17.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.2% | 35.7–43.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 44.4% | 38.1–50.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.1% | 3.8–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.4% | 15.4–21.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.6% | 8.3–11.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.0% | 75.5–80.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.6% | 79.6–85.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.9% | 84.1–87.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.2% | 61.7–70.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.6% | 54.7–62.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.3% | 67.6–80.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.3% | 10.3–14.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.9% | 12.1–15.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.8% | 28.7–37.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 41.8% | 36.4–47.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.4% | 20.1–24.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.2% | 16.3–20.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.0% | 13.4–16.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.4% | 13.7–17.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.4% | 32.6–40.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.9% | 6.2–7.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.7–10.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.6% | 15.8–19.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.2–4.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.6–6.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.5% | 20.6–26.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.9% | 15.9–20.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 16.9% | 14.7–19.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.2% | 13.4–17.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.8% | 8.8–11.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.6% | 31.8–39.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.7–11.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | DE median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.2% (2.4–16.7%) n=62 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.8% (3.2–18.9%) n=63 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 8.1% (3.2–15.9%) n=63 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 27.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.1% (13.0–59.9%) n=63 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (1.9–8.9%) n=63 |
| Households without a vehicle | 9.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–9.1%) n=62 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.8% (85.5–97.0%) n=62 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 40.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 25.1% (17.0–38.0%) n=62 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 81.6% (59.5–92.0%) n=62 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–4.8%) n=62 |
| Foreign-born population | 10.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 7.1% (1.1–16.0%) n=64 |
| Single-parent households | 48.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.4% (43.2–77.6%) n=62 |
| Population 65+ | 18.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.2% (13.0–42.2%) n=64 |
| Median age | 39.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.5 yr (34.9–62.0) n=64 |
| Median household income | $66,908 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $82,604 ($60,703–$125,491) n=61 |
| Median home value | $309,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $322,500 ($243,800–$534,600) n=61 |
| Median gross rent | $1,370 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,370 ($1,106–$1,655) n=55 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | DE median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.0 yr ± 0.55 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 77.6 yr (75.5–81.2) n=61 |
About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 0.55 years of 79.0, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.
More ZIPs to explore ▾More ZIPs to explore ▴
How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured