ZIP code
20904
in Silver Spring, MarylandPopulation 58,646
62.85/ 100
Ranked #3,054 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 9.6%)
Ranked #127 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 28%)
Ranked #150 of 308 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ZIPs (top 49%)
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 ›Binge drinking
11.4%
in the bottom 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
430 units
in the top 5.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
45%
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
48.9%
in the bottom 8.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST9thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Mammography
81.2%
in the top 6.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST70thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Loud transportation noise
1.8%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Park land
14.2%
in the top 9.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
12.7%
in the top 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
1.8%
in the bottom 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST25thUS10thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, ZIP 20904, one of several in Silver Spring, Maryland sits in the top 9.6% healthiest ZIPs nationally (3,054th) and the top 28% of Maryland (127th).
A few measures carry most of this area's good news: lead in tap water settles at the national minimum, modeled binge drinking lands in the bottom 4.3% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing rests in the top 5.4% nationally. Modeled mammography settles in the top 6.1% nationally, park land lands in the top 9.2% nationally, and transit rests in the top 10.4% nationally. Set against that, housing-cost burden settles in the top 5.5% nationally, and homeownership lands in the bottom 8.5% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise rests in the top 9.0% nationally, and households without a vehicle settles in the top 9.9% nationally.
Placed beside its immediate neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, 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. 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. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 20866, 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 72%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 64%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 82%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 91%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 97%
8%
Disability
healthier than 78%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 61%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 83%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 90%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 61%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 85%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 52%
13%
Disability
healthier than 49%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 38%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 21%
14%
Lifting this score
Risk Behavior
healthier than 68%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 86%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 68%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 75%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 57%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 35%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 19%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 28%
14%
Disability
healthier than 36%
7%
“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 ›
Findings that name this ZIP
One of our published findings lists this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Above what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 81.3 ± 1.2 years. A median household income of $96,025 predicts 79.9 years — 1.4 years above.
Ranked #1,321 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
20705
Marylandshares a border
Score 59.98
Closest healthier
20866
Marylandshares a border
Score 65.52
Similar health profile
33433
Florida99% similar profile
Score 64.34
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 | 23.5% | 21.7–25.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.4% | 35.0–39.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.3% | 6.7–7.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.2% | 9.2–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.0% | 5.4–6.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.1% | 4.5–5.7 |
| Depression among adults | 16.2% | 14.5–18.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.8% | 11.5–14.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.0% | 38.5–43.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 29.9% | 26.7–33.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.8% | 9.3–12.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.1% | 8.9–11.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.8% | 75.5–79.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.4% | 77.2–81.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.8% | 89.8–91.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.6% | 66.7–72.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.6% | 62.3–66.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 81.2% | 77.2–84.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 11.4% | 9.9–12.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 8.3% | 7.2–9.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.9% | 20.4–25.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.2% | 34.3–40.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.5% | 16.8–20.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 13.1% | 11.8–14.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.6% | 10.5–12.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.4% | 10.3–12.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 26.2% | 23.8–28.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.7% | 5.1–6.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.2–7.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.4% | 11.0–13.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.6–5.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.3% | 22.8–28.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.2% | 15.4–19.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 12.9% | 11.4–14.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.9% | 13.3–16.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.4% | 7.5–9.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.0% | 32.0–38.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 8.0–10.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 50.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 12.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 45.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 48.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 39.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 40.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 20.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 40.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $96,025 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $560,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,918 | $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 | 81.3 yr ± 0.59 | 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 0.59 years of 81.3, 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