ZIP code
21034
in Darlington, MarylandPopulation 2,846
46.08/ 100
Ranked #21,260 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 34%)
Ranked #417 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 9.0%)
Ranked #147 of 157 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ZIPs (bottom 6.4%)
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.
High cholesterol
44.2%
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
28.1 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 15% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS85thDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 20% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS80thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
9.0%
in the top 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS79thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
15.6%
in the top 20% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS80thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Stroke
4.7%
in the top 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS79thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
0.27%
in the top 32% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS68thDefinition & source ›
The share of days in the year when modeled fine-particle (PM2.5) pollution was above the EPA’s daily limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Darlington, Maryland (ZIP 21034) lands in the bottom 34% nationally (21,260th) and the bottom 9.0% of Maryland (417th).
The picture here is genuinely mixed, with readings on both sides: pharmacy resides in the top 13.8% nationally, and unemployment registers in the bottom 15% nationally. Modeled binge drinking rests in the bottom 16% nationally, and homeownership stands in the top 18% nationally. On the other side, modeled high cholesterol lies in the top 6.3% nationally, fatal road crashes lands in the top 15% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site sits in the bottom 16% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden is in the top 20% nationally, and pfas settles in the top 21% nationally. Childcare resides at the national minimum, shared with about 42% of ZIPs.
Set beside the nearby areas, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 21015, just across the boundary, ranks better 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 63%
13%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 46%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 42%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 53%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 45%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 60%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 17%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 34%
8%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 60%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 6%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 23%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Disability
healthier than 6%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 31%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 4%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 34%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 23%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 13%
8%
Disability
healthier than 6%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 23%
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
21015
Marylandshares a border
Score 63.56
Closest healthier
21028
Marylandshares a border
Score 64.76
Similar health profile
46940
Indiana98% similar profile
Score 44.74
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 | 34.2% | 31.2–37.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.6% | 39.2–45.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.1% | 9.2–11.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.9% | 9.6–12.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.0% | 8.0–10.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.8% | 9.4–12.2 |
| Depression among adults | 24.2% | 21.1–27.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.6% | 13.7–17.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 44.2% | 40.7–47.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.8% | 34.7–44.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.6% | 12.9–18.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.8% | 7.2–10.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.7% | 75.9–81.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.5% | 76.5–82.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.8% | 86.1–89.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.8% | 64.8–72.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.4% | 57.3–63.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.8% | 69.6–81.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.2% | 11.1–15.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.0% | 14.4–19.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.5% | 24.5–32.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.6% | 32.4–41.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.6% | 20.7–26.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.9% | 15.9–19.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.7% | 14.8–18.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.6% | 13.7–17.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.3% | 29.4–37.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.9% | 8.7–11.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.4% | 15.2–19.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.4–5.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.4–6.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.8% | 18.7–25.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.2% | 13.5–19.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 15.0% | 12.6–17.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.2% | 10.3–14.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.4% | 7.2–9.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.5% | 28.2–37.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 7.3–9.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 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+) | 12.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 89.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 58.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 21.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 45.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $78,047 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $401,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,151 | $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 | 76.4 yr ± 1.66 | 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 1.66 years of 76.4, 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