ZIP code
20899
in Gaithersburg, MarylandPopulation 57
60.09/ 100
Ranked #4,788 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 15.0%)
Ranked #191 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 42%)
Ranked #189 of 308 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ZIPs (bottom 39%)
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.
Unemployment rate
53.1%
in the top 0.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
0.00%
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Loud transportation noise
8.0%
in the top 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
26.3%
in the bottom 0.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
70.2%
in the top 0.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
39.4%
in the top 0.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Mammography
84.9%
in the top 0.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
52.6%
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full 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 ›Hearing disability
3.8%
in the bottom 1.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite measure, ZIP 20899, one of several in Gaithersburg, Maryland sits in the top 15.0% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,788th) and the top 42% of Maryland (191st).
The profile cuts both ways, and the readings bear that out: modeled mammography sits in the top 0.7% nationally, poverty registers at the national minimum, and modeled hearing disability lands in the bottom 1.8% nationally. Working the other way, unemployment resides in the top 0.2% nationally, homeownership lies at the national minimum, and modeled loud transportation noise settles in the top 0.5% nationally. Households without a vehicle stands in the top 0.6% nationally, and modeled transportation noise is in the top 0.8% nationally. Housing-cost burden rests in the top 2.3% nationally, and modeled air-toxics cancer risk sits in the top 4.5% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs that surround it, unemployment runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain language, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. ZIP 20878, just across the boundary, ranks 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 76%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 93%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 83%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 94%
8%
Disability
healthier than 87%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 61%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 70%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 5%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 70%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 80%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 67%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 85%
8%
Disability
healthier than 64%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 66%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 73%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 6%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.5%
14%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 88%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 75%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 76%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 50%
11%
Disability
healthier than 50%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 39%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 2%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.7%
14%
“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
20877
Marylandshares a border
Score 58.59
Closest healthier
20878
Marylandshares a border
Score 73.15
Similar health profile
60422
Illinois97% similar profile
Score 63.84
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 | 22.2% | 20.0–24.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.2% | 36.3–42.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.3% | 4.7–5.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.6% | 9.5–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.0% | 4.2–6.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.0% | 3.8–6.5 |
| Depression among adults | 17.4% | 15.5–19.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.6% | 11.5–15.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.3% | 37.6–42.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.9% | 31.0–38.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 2.8–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 4.6% | 3.7–5.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.0% | 5.7–10.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.3% | 74.6–79.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.2% | 76.8–81.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 91.9% | 90.1–93.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 73.1% | 70.3–75.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.3% | 64.9–69.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 84.9% | 81.4–88.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.2% | 10.6–13.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.5% | 7.5–13.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.8% | 17.4–26.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.1% | 35.9–42.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.4% | 14.7–22.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 13.8% | 11.8–16.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.5% | 9.5–13.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.0% | 8.9–13.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 23.0% | 19.1–27.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.2–4.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.0–8.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.2% | 8.8–14.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 2.9–5.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 3.7–5.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.9% | 21.9–29.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.2% | 13.1–24.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 15.0% | 10.2–20.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.6% | 12.5–21.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 6.5–10.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.5% | 29.8–37.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.7% | 8.2–13.5 |
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 | 0.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 26.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 0.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 53.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 70.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 26.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 52.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 0.0% | 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 | 26.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | — | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 43.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 62.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $24,417 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | — | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $788 | $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 | 81.8 yr ± 3.37 | 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 3.37 years of 81.8, 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