ZIP code
20743
in Capitol Heights, MarylandPopulation 41,093
51.21/ 100
Ranked #14,528 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 45%)
Ranked #376 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 18%)
Ranked #277 of 308 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ZIPs (bottom 10.1%)
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.
Short sleep
47.5%
in the top 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Transit access
11 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
633 units
in the top 3.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Obesity
46.4%
in the top 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
24.8%
in the top 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
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 ›Binge drinking
11.2%
in the bottom 3.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS4thDefinition & 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 ›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 ›PFAS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were detected in EPA testing.
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 ›Walkability
140 intersections/sq mi
in the top 6.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Capitol Heights, Maryland (ZIP 20743) places in the top 45% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,528th) and the bottom 18% of Maryland (376th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The measures fall on both sides for this area, fairly evenly: transit is in the top 1.0% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing lands in the top 3.3% nationally. Lead in tap water stands at the national minimum, and modeled binge drinking registers in the bottom 3.7% nationally. Modeled hearing disability settles in the bottom 3.2% nationally, and walkability sits in the top 6.1% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled short sleep lies in the top 1.1% nationally, obesity rests in the top 2.7% nationally, and housing insecurity resides in the top 4.2% nationally. PFAS in drinking water is at the national maximum.
Beside the areas that surround it, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 20746, 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 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
Mental Health
healthier than 92%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 87%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 56%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 54%
13%
Disability
healthier than 44%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 39%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 18%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 33%
11%
Lifting this score
Mental Health
healthier than 81%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 91%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 22%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 7%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 39%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 20%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 11%
11%
Disability
healthier than 13%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 30%
5%
Lifting this score
Mental Health
healthier than 69%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 87%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 48%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 9%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 3%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 26%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 5%
11%
Disability
healthier than 7%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 24%
5%
“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
One of our published findings lists 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.
Highest-risk tenth
Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale
Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 38.7 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 78.8 ± 1.4 years.
Ranked #1,663 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
20019
District of Columbiashares a border
Score 47.25
Closest healthier
20746
Marylandshares a border
Score 55.54
Similar health profile
68763
Nebraska95% similar profile
Score 52.88
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 | 26.5% | 24.4–28.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.4% | 40.8–45.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.0% | 4.6–5.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.7% | 11.5–14.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.8% | 5.3–6.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.5% | 5.8–7.1 |
| Depression among adults | 15.1% | 13.3–17.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.8% | 15.3–18.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.6% | 33.0–38.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 46.4% | 42.2–50.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.5% | 4.2–4.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.0% | 12.7–17.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.4% | 11.8–15.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.6% | 74.3–78.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.0% | 76.6–81.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.0% | 87.6–90.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.3% | 64.3–70.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 53.6% | 50.9–56.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 81.3% | 77.2–85.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 11.2% | 9.6–12.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.7% | 11.2–14.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.9% | 28.0–33.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 47.5% | 44.1–50.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.3% | 22.1–26.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.0% | 14.5–17.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.8% | 12.4–15.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.5% | 13.1–15.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.9% | 28.2–33.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.4% | 3.9–4.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.5–10.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.1% | 15.5–18.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–5.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.9% | 6.4–7.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 30.3% | 27.2–33.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 28.6% | 25.9–31.5 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 22.6% | 20.2–25.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 24.8% | 22.3–27.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 13.1% | 11.7–14.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 38.8% | 35.3–42.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 15.5% | 13.9–17.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 23.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 10.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 12.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 39.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 6.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 17.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 29.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 14.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 37.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $76,466 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $341,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,609 | $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 | 78.8 yr ± 0.73 | 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 0.73 years of 78.8, 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