ZIP code
20874
in Germantown, MarylandPopulation 62,738
66.21/ 100
Ranked #1,543 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 4.9%)
Ranked #64 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 14.0%)
Ranked #113 of 308 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ZIPs (top 37%)
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.
Hearing disability
4.1%
in the bottom 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
541 units
in the top 4.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Park land
33.4%
in the top 4.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
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 ›Fatal road crashes
1.3 per 100,000 residents per year
in the bottom 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
4.2%
in the bottom 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
9.0%
in the bottom 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
1.5%
in the bottom 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Stroke
2.5%
in the bottom 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
5.9%
in the bottom 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST25thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
Full methodology ›The read
In its overall standing, ZIP 20874, one of several in Germantown, Maryland lands in the top 4.9% healthiest ZIPs nationally (1,543rd) and the top 14.0% of Maryland (64th).
Reading the numbers as a whole, this area's strong points come through first: modeled hearing disability registers in the bottom 2.3% nationally, subsidized affordable housing resides in the top 4.1% nationally, and park land settles in the top 4.2% nationally. Lead in tap water is at the national minimum, fatal road crashes sits in the bottom 5.0% nationally, and modeled coronary heart disease lands in the bottom 4.1% nationally. Modeled mobility disability lies in the bottom 5.6% nationally, and energy burden stands in the bottom 5.3% nationally. Modeled obesity rests in the bottom 11.0% nationally, and stroke registers in the bottom 6.7% nationally.
Against the wider neighborhood, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put 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. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. On the overall standing, ZIP 20165, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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 93%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 84%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 72%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 88%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 93%
8%
Disability
healthier than 92%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 82%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 52%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 46%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 93%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 65%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 64%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 77%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 82%
8%
Disability
healthier than 80%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 86%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 19%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 32%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 76%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 77%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 73%
8%
Disability
healthier than 65%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 76%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 45%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 60%
11%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 24%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 28%
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
20165
Virginiashares a border
Score 69.82
Closest healthier
20837
Marylandshares a border
Score 67.34
Similar health profile
20152
Virginia99% similar profile
Score 72.74
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 | 18.5% | 16.9–20.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 29.9% | 27.7–32.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–5.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.8% | 8.8–10.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.1% | 3.7–4.6 |
| Depression among adults | 18.0% | 16.1–19.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.3% | 35.8–40.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 27.8% | 24.7–30.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.5% | 2.3–2.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 7.1% | 5.9–8.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.1% | 8.8–11.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 71.9% | 69.2–74.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.4% | 72.8–77.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.4% | 88.2–90.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.0% | 62.9–69.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.7% | 63.3–67.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.6% | 75.3–83.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.1% | 12.2–15.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 8.5% | 7.4–9.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.2% | 18.2–22.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.4% | 33.4–39.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.3% | 14.8–17.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 13.7% | 12.4–15.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 10.6% | 9.6–11.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.5% | 10.3–12.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 22.1% | 20.1–24.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.7–4.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–10.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.9% | 2.7–3.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.8% | 22.4–27.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.5% | 13.8–17.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.5% | 9.2–11.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.7% | 12.2–15.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.0% | 32.0–38.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 6.8–8.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 48.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 96.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 37.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 38.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 11.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 37.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $115,022 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $399,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,995 | $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 | 81.2 yr ± 0.95 | 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 0.95 years of 81.2, 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