Skip to main content
ZipVitals

Menu

ZIP code

20778

in West River, MarylandPopulation 2,211

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

62.68/ 100

Ranked #3,148 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 9.9%)

Ranked #132 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 29%)

Ranked #66 of 157 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ZIPs (top 42%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Median household income

$205,974

in the top 1.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

Homeownership rate

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.

Full methodology ›

Mammography

83.6%

in the top 1.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST92nd
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Poverty rate

0.77%

in the bottom 5.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST9th
US5th
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Lack of transportation

4.7%

in the bottom 5.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST14th
US5th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Dental provider access

1.1 per 1,000 residents

in the top 5.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US94th
Definition & 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 ›

Energy-cost burden

1.4%

in the bottom 4.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST7th
US4th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.

A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.

Full methodology ›

Colon-cancer screening

73.8%

in the top 5.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST86th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.

Full methodology ›

Food insecurity

8.3%

in the bottom 8.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST16th
US9th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Housing insecurity

7.3%

in the bottom 9.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST14th
US9th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

The read

West River, Maryland (ZIP 20778), in overall standing, comes out in the top 9.9% healthiest ZIPs nationally (3,148th) and the top 29% of Maryland (132nd).

continue reading

An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: household income is in the top 1.0% nationally, homeownership lies at the national maximum, and modeled mammography registers in the top 1.7% nationally. Poverty is in the bottom 5.1% nationally, modeled transportation lies in the bottom 5.1% nationally, and dental providers registers in the top 5.8% nationally. Modeled energy burden is in the bottom 4.0% nationally. Households without a vehicle lies at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled colon screening registers in the top 5.3% nationally, and food insecurity is in the bottom 8.7% nationally.

Set within its surrounding area, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, for reference, energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 20733, 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 97%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 97%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 80%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 83%

8%

Disability

healthier than 86%

7%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 60%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 59%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 42%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 58%

5%

Nothing measured is holding this score back.

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 92%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 91%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 61%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 62%

8%

Disability

healthier than 62%

7%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 42%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 45%

14%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 58%

5%

Holding it back

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 27%

5%

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 86%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 69%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 88%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 65%

8%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 51%

11%

Disability

healthier than 42%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 55%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 21%

21%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 18%

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 ›

Nearby & similar ZIPs

Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults30.9%28.5–33.7
High blood pressure among adults37.8%35.0–40.8
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults11.3%10.2–12.3
Current asthma among adults10.2%9.1–11.4
Coronary heart disease among adults6.5%5.8–7.4
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults6.4%5.5–7.4
Depression among adults21.1%18.7–23.8
Diagnosed diabetes among adults11.3%10.0–12.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened40.2%37.2–43.2
Obesity among adults33.9%30.0–38.2
Stroke among adults3.3%2.9–3.7
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years6.8%5.5–8.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years5.2%4.3–6.3
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure79.0%76.3–81.4
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults81.3%79.0–83.6
Cholesterol screening among adults91.8%90.5–92.8
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years73.8%70.6–76.8
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults71.8%69.2–74.2
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years83.6%79.4–87.4
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.9%13.9–18.2
Current cigarette smoking among adults11.0%9.1–13.3
No leisure-time physical activity among adults19.8%17.0–23.0
Short sleep duration among adults35.5%32.0–39.1
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults15.8%13.8–18.1
Frequent mental distress among adults14.1%12.5–15.8
Frequent physical distress among adults12.8%11.3–14.5
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults11.0%9.6–12.7
Any disability among adults26.9%23.9–30.1
Hearing disability among adults6.6%5.9–7.5
Independent living disability among adults6.1%5.3–6.9
Mobility disability among adults12.3%10.6–14.1
Self-care disability among adults2.9%2.5–3.3
Vision disability among adults3.4%3.0–3.8
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults19.6%16.9–22.5
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults8.3%6.7–10.0
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults5.9%4.6–7.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.3%6.0–8.7
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults4.7%3.9–5.4
Loneliness among adults30.9%27.5–34.5
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults4.7%3.9–5.5
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MD median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate0.8%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3646.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459
Uninsured 18–640.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2864.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459
No HS diploma (25+)1.5%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5056.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463
Bachelor's or higher (25+)49.9%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50537.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463
Unemployment rate (16+)2.3%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457
Broadband subscription92.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)12.9%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32227.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457
Homeownership rate100.0%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32282.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457
Foreign-born population5.6%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5536.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464
Single-parent households63.8%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08750.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450
Population 65+16.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55318.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464
Median age47.7 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460
Median household income$205,974$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419
Median home value$716,500$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427
Median gross rent—$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,626 ($958–$2,415) n=339
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MD median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth79.8 yr ± 1.4778.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30879.5 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 1.47 years of 79.8, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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