ZIP code
20876
in Germantown, MarylandPopulation 26,406
65.68/ 100
Ranked #1,749 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 5.5%)
Ranked #73 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 16%)
Ranked #118 of 308 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ZIPs (top 38%)
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.
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 ›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 ›Coronary heart disease
4.5%
in the bottom 5.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Obesity
27.4%
in the bottom 10.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Park land
14.2%
in the top 9.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
1.6%
in the bottom 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST17thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Mobility disability
9.8%
in the bottom 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST19thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$119,731
in the top 9.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST61stUS90thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
30.7%
in the bottom 13.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 20876, one of several in Germantown, Maryland, on the composite measure, lands in the top 5.5% healthiest ZIPs nationally (1,749th) and the top 16% of Maryland (73rd).
What works most in this area's favor shows up clearly across the measures: lead in tap water lies at the national minimum, and modeled hearing disability settles in the bottom 3.2% nationally. Distance to an emergency room stands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled coronary heart disease is in the bottom 5.7% nationally, and obesity rests in the bottom 10.0% nationally. Park land sits in the top 9.3% nationally, and modeled energy burden registers in the bottom 6.7% nationally. Modeled mobility disability lands in the bottom 8.3% nationally, and household income resides in the top 9.7% nationally. Working the other way, PFAS in drinking water lies at the national maximum.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, 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. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 20841, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 91%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 75%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 66%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 89%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 94%
8%
Disability
healthier than 89%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 69%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 78%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 92%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 79%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 86%
8%
Disability
healthier than 70%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 82%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 51%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 54%
14%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 18%
13%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 72%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 64%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 78%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 93%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 70%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 54%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 32%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
“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
20841
Marylandshares a border
Score 73.93
Closest healthier
20871
Marylandshares a border
Score 73.49
Similar health profile
20902
Maryland99% similar profile
Score 63.43
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 | 18.6% | 17.0–20.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 30.7% | 28.5–32.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.3% | 4.8–5.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.5% | 8.5–10.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–5.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.4% | 3.9–4.9 |
| Depression among adults | 17.3% | 15.5–19.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.1% | 10.0–12.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.4% | 36.9–41.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 27.4% | 24.3–30.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.7% | 2.5–2.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 7.9% | 6.6–9.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.1% | 9.7–12.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 73.0% | 70.3–75.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.5% | 72.9–77.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.0% | 87.6–90.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.6% | 62.5–68.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.6% | 63.2–67.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.1% | 74.9–83.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.3% | 11.6–15.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 8.6% | 7.6–9.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.8% | 19.6–24.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.9% | 32.9–39.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.5% | 15.9–19.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 13.5% | 12.2–14.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.1% | 10.0–12.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.7% | 10.6–13.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 23.2% | 21.0–25.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.4% | 4.0–4.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–6.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.8–10.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.1% | 2.9–3.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.2–5.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.4% | 22.9–28.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.8% | 14.9–18.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.4% | 10.0–13.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.2% | 12.6–16.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–9.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.3% | 32.3–38.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.9% | 7.0–9.0 |
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 | 12.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 52.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 95.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 35.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 45.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 11.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 36.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $119,731 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $487,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $2,109 | $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 | 82.2 yr ± 1.13 | 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 1.13 years of 82.2, 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