ZIP code
21052
in Fort Howard, MarylandPopulation 409
55.65/ 100
Ranked #8,685 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 27%)
Ranked #283 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 38%)
Ranked #119 of 157 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ZIPs (bottom 24%)
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.
Floodplain exposure
66%
in the top 2.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
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 ›Home broadband subscription
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
14.4%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS7thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 7.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS7thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Park land
18.1%
in the top 7.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
4.6%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS81stDefinition & 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 ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Fort Howard, Maryland (ZIP 21052) sits in the top 27% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,685th) and the bottom 38% of Maryland (283rd).
A few readings each way define this mixed profile: poverty lies at the national minimum, home broadband subscription registers at the national maximum, and modeled expected annual loss is in the bottom 6.6% nationally. Modeled disaster risk lies in the bottom 7.1% nationally, and park land registers in the top 7.6% nationally. Households without a vehicle is at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled mammography lies in the top 6.1% nationally. Pulling the other way, floodplain exposure registers in the top 2.0% nationally, and unemployment is in the top 4.1% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure lies in the top 7.9% nationally.
Placed beside its immediate neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 21122, about 2.0 miles away.
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 66%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 85%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 74%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 76%
11%
Disability
healthier than 79%
7%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 45%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 55%
8%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 7%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 24%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 66%
16%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 53%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 56%
11%
Disability
healthier than 51%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 28%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 38%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 23%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 3%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 10%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 46%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 33%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 31%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 24%
8%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the bottom 0.00%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
21219
Marylandshares a border
Score 55.60
Closest healthier
21122
Marylandabout 2.0 mi away
Score 60.03
Similar health profile
76571
Texas98% similar profile
Score 56.50
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 | 28.2% | 25.9–30.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.0% | 31.5–36.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.8% | 8.9–10.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.3–11.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.1% | 6.1–8.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.1% | 5.8–8.7 |
| Depression among adults | 22.9% | 20.6–25.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.1% | 9.7–12.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.6% | 36.1–41.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.7% | 27.4–34.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 2.8–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.5% | 8.7–12.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.7% | 5.5–10.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.2% | 73.8–78.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.5% | 74.9–79.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.1% | 85.8–90.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.1% | 67.2–73.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.8% | 61.3–66.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 81.2% | 76.9–85.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.0% | 14.1–18.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.9% | 9.2–14.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.6% | 20.0–27.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.2% | 30.2–36.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.7% | 13.9–19.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.4% | 14.5–18.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.0% | 10.3–13.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.7% | 10.6–15.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 26.5% | 22.9–30.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.4% | 6.4–8.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.8% | 5.6–8.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.7% | 9.8–14.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.0% | 2.5–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.1–4.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.2% | 19.9–26.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 8.2–13.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 5.7–10.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.5% | 7.5–11.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.2% | 5.0–7.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.4% | 29.6–37.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.6% | 4.5–6.7 |
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 | 11.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 35.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 14.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 100.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 36.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 83.9% | 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 | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 18.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 0.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 27.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $77,300 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $293,200 | $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 | 76.2 yr ± 1.50 | 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 1.50 years of 76.2, 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