ZIP code
21048
in Finksburg, MarylandPopulation 10,481
59.86/ 100
Ranked #4,967 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 15%)
Ranked #200 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 44%)
Ranked #96 of 157 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 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.
Nitrate in drinking water
51.4%
in the top 0.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$131,921
in the top 6.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST70thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
97.8%
in the top 5.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST88thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
1.9%
in the bottom 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST14thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
4.9%
in the bottom 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST18thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Child-care access
0.56 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
8.3%
in the bottom 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST16thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
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 ›Mammography
81%
in the top 6.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST68thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
6.0%
in the bottom 9.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST29thUS9thDefinition & 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
By its overall health score, Finksburg, Maryland (ZIP 21048) lands in the top 15% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,967th) and the top 44% of Maryland (200th).
Neither strongly one way nor the other, the measures sit mixed: household income lies in the top 6.6% nationally, and homeownership resides in the top 5.9% nationally. Poverty lands in the bottom 6.6% nationally, and modeled transportation registers in the bottom 6.7% nationally. Childcare sits in the top 8.5% nationally, modeled food insecurity rests in the bottom 8.7% nationally, and park land is in the top 9.2% nationally. Modeled mammography stands in the top 6.7% nationally. Against that, modeled nitrate settles in the top 0.8% nationally. Fiber broadband lies at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 21074, 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 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 64%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 93%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 85%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 78%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Disability
healthier than 87%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 49%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 30%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 23%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 80%
16%
Disability
healthier than 66%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 49%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 59%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 52%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 13%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 38%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 10%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 68%
16%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 47%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 54%
8%
Disability
healthier than 46%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 26%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 22%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 29%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 10%
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 ›
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 79.2 ± 1.5 years. A median household income of $131,921 predicts 81.2 years — 2.0 years below.
Ranked #2,549 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
21074
Marylandshares a border
Score 60.07
Closest healthier
21155
Marylandshares a border
Score 61.43
Similar health profile
44202
Ohio98% similar profile
Score 63.82
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 | 29.4% | 26.5–32.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.9% | 32.4–39.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.4% | 9.4–11.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.2% | 9.0–11.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–7.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.3–7.1 |
| Depression among adults | 22.3% | 19.3–25.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.8% | 9.4–12.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.8% | 36.1–43.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.7% | 32.3–42.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.0% | 2.7–3.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 7.1% | 5.7–8.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.6% | 4.6–6.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.6% | 74.5–80.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.4% | 74.2–80.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.7% | 89.3–91.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.5% | 65.1–73.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.5% | 64.3–70.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 81.0% | 75.1–86.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.2% | 13.6–18.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.6% | 8.6–12.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.6% | 19.2–26.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.3% | 29.7–39.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 14.3% | 12.2–16.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.3% | 12.7–16.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.5% | 10.1–13.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.1% | 9.5–12.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 24.8% | 21.6–28.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.2–6.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.5% | 9.9–13.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.8% | 2.5–3.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.4% | 3.0–3.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 18.9% | 16.0–22.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 6.8–10.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.3% | 5.1–7.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.4–9.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 4.9% | 4.2–5.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.7% | 25.5–34.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 4.9% | 4.1–5.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 1.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 1.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 2.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 47.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 97.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 55.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 17.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 41.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $131,921 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $459,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 79.2 yr ± 0.75 | 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 0.75 years of 79.2, 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