ZIP code
20706
in Lanham, MarylandPopulation 42,612
56.87/ 100
Ranked #7,396 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 23%)
Ranked #256 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 44%)
Ranked #228 of 308 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ZIPs (bottom 26%)
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.
Subsidized affordable housing
905 units
in the top 1.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
40.1 per million
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
44.3%
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Lead in tap water
0 ppb
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
US1stDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
4.4%
in the bottom 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Transit access
5 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops 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 ›Crowded housing
8.0%
in the top 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
21.2%
in the top 7.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.14 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics 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 ›Outpatient-care access
0.48 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics 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 ›The read
On the composite measure, Lanham, Maryland (ZIP 20706) stands in the top 23% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,396th) and the bottom 44% of Maryland (256th).
Several signals sit on each side of the ledger here: subsidized affordable housing rests in the top 1.8% nationally, and lead in tap water lands at the national minimum. Modeled hearing disability settles in the bottom 3.2% nationally, and transit rests in the top 5.1% nationally. Mental-health providers lands in the top 7.5% nationally, and outpatient settles in the top 8.5% nationally. Working the other way, modeled air-toxics cancer risk rests in the top 2.3% nationally, modeled short sleep lands in the top 4.0% nationally, and crowded housing settles in the top 6.8% nationally. Modeled housing insecurity rests in the top 7.4% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. ZIP 20720, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 62%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 61%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 96%
8%
Disability
healthier than 64%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 93%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 41%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 48%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 54%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 55%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Mental Health
healthier than 88%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 95%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 44%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 34%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 22%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 17%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 26%
11%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Lifting this score
Mental Health
healthier than 81%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 96%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 30%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 21%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 13%
11%
Disability
healthier than 19%
7%
“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 ›
Findings that name this ZIP
2 of our published findings list this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Above its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 81.1 ± 1.3 years. The 49 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 79.2 years — 1.9 years above them.
Ranked #1,431 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Highest-risk tenth
Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale
Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 40.1 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 81.1 ± 1.3 years.
Ranked #471 of the 4,173 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by modeled air-toxics risk, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
20720
Marylandshares a border
Score 67.16
Closest healthier
20721
Marylandshares a border
Score 66.84
Similar health profile
08361
New Jersey99% similar profile
Score 57.41
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 | 24.0% | 22.1–25.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.8% | 36.3–41.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.1% | 4.6–5.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.5–12.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.3% | 4.8–5.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.5% | 5.0–6.1 |
| Depression among adults | 14.8% | 13.0–16.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.8% | 13.4–16.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.4% | 32.8–37.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 42.4% | 38.4–46.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.5–4.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.0% | 11.8–16.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 14.4% | 12.8–16.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.2% | 72.8–77.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.3% | 74.7–79.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.8% | 87.4–90.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.3% | 64.2–70.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.3% | 54.7–59.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.7% | 76.5–84.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.3% | 10.6–14.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.8% | 9.6–12.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.1% | 25.5–30.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 44.3% | 40.9–47.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.7% | 19.9–23.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.7% | 13.3–16.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.7% | 11.5–13.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.3% | 12.0–14.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.0% | 25.6–30.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.4% | 3.9–4.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.0% | 7.3–8.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.6% | 13.2–15.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–4.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.5–6.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 28.3% | 25.4–31.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 24.1% | 21.7–26.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.2% | 15.2–19.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 21.2% | 19.0–23.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 11.1% | 10.0–12.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 37.4% | 34.0–40.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 12.4% | 11.0–14.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 16.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 18.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 33.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 95.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 33.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 8.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 36.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 36.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 15.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 38.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $104,523 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $429,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,840 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,626 ($958–$2,415) n=339 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.1 yr ± 0.64 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 79.5 yr (75.7–82.7) n=451 |
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 0.64 years of 81.1, 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