ZIP code
20868
in Spencerville, MarylandPopulation 198
67.54/ 100
Ranked #1,128 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 3.6%)
Ranked #47 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 10.3%)
Ranked #92 of 308 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ZIPs (top 30%)
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.
Poverty rate
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$143,333
in the top 4.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST78thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
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 ›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 ›Housing-cost burden
5.7%
in the bottom 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Obesity
27%
in the bottom 9.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
10.1%
in the bottom 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Park land
16.2%
in the top 8.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›The read
Spencerville, Maryland (ZIP 20868), overall, ranks in the top 3.6% healthiest ZIPs nationally (1,128th) and the top 10.3% of Maryland (47th).
Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: poverty lies at the national minimum, homeownership stands at the national maximum, and household income rests in the top 4.7% nationally. Home broadband subscription registers at the national maximum, lead in tap water resides at the national minimum, and housing-cost burden settles in the bottom 5.5% nationally. Modeled obesity is in the bottom 9.2% nationally. Unemployment sits at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled cognitive disability lands in the bottom 5.4% nationally. On the other side, PFAS in drinking water lies at the national maximum.
Measured against the nearby ZIPs, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, 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. ZIP 20861, just across the boundary, comes out healthier overall.
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 80%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 97%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 77%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 78%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 93%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 98%
8%
Disability
healthier than 90%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 55%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 58%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 77%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 90%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 72%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 94%
8%
Disability
healthier than 74%
7%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 44%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 53%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 57%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 77%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 85%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 75%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 92%
8%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 46%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 51%
13%
Disability
healthier than 58%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 58%
5%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 38%
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.
Nearby
20861
Marylandshares a border
Score 69.97
Closest healthier
20905
Marylandshares a border
Score 69.71
Similar health profile
07723
New Jersey100% similar profile
Score 68.21
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 | 22.8% | 20.9–24.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.7% | 32.4–37.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.6% | 7.0–8.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.3% | 8.4–10.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.7% | 5.0–6.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.8% | 4.1–5.6 |
| Depression among adults | 16.7% | 14.9–18.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.7% | 10.4–13.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.6% | 40.0–45.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 27.0% | 24.0–30.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.2% | 2.9–3.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.9% | 8.2–11.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.3% | 7.5–11.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.4% | 75.0–79.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.8% | 75.5–80.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 91.3% | 89.9–92.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.6% | 68.7–74.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.1% | 62.8–67.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.8% | 73.4–81.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.1% | 11.4–14.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 7.6% | 6.3–9.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 19.9% | 17.3–22.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.2% | 32.3–38.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.1% | 14.0–18.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 12.0% | 10.7–13.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.0% | 9.7–12.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 10.1% | 8.8–11.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 23.2% | 20.7–25.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.8–6.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 5.6% | 4.9–6.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 10.5% | 9.1–12.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.0% | 2.6–3.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.6–4.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.1% | 20.5–25.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.2% | 10.0–14.5 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.9% | 6.3–9.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 9.1–12.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.1% | 5.2–7.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.5% | 29.5–35.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.1% | 5.2–7.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 0.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 12.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 39.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 100.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 5.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 100.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 28.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 72.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 33.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 54.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $143,333 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $622,200 | $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
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.3 yr ± 1.76 | 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 1.76 years of 82.3, 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