ZIP code
21076
in Hanover, MarylandPopulation 24,268
64.92/ 100
Ranked #2,035 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 6.4%)
Ranked #88 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 19%)
Ranked #43 of 157 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ZIPs (top 27%)
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.
Air-toxics cancer risk
40.5 per million
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$146,869
in the top 4.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST79thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Mammography
84.2%
in the top 1.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
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 ›Transportation noise
18.4%
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Coronary heart disease
3.7%
in the bottom 2.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
74%
in the top 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Stroke
2.2%
in the bottom 3.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
8.5%
in the bottom 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›The read
On the composite measure, Hanover, Maryland (ZIP 21076) stands in the top 6.4% healthiest ZIPs nationally (2,035th) and the top 19% of Maryland (88th).
A profile of give and take, with clear readings each way: household income resides in the top 4.2% nationally, and modeled mammography stands in the top 1.2% nationally. Modeled hearing disability sits in the bottom 1.8% nationally, and coronary heart disease resides in the bottom 2.5% nationally. Modeled stroke stands in the bottom 3.5% nationally, and mobility disability sits in the bottom 4.2% nationally. On the other side, modeled air-toxics cancer risk resides in the top 2.1% nationally, transportation noise stands in the top 2.9% nationally, and pfas sits in the top 3.3% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the top 5.8% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. 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. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. ZIP 21075, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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 94%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 87%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 78%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 71%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 90%
8%
Disability
healthier than 97%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 54%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 5%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 95%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 70%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 77%
8%
Disability
healthier than 91%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 62%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 45%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 47%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.3%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 94%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 84%
8%
Disability
healthier than 87%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 53%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.7%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 38%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 36%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 38%
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
3 of our published findings list 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 79.7 ± 1.4 years. A median household income of $146,869 predicts 81.6 years — 1.9 years below.
Ranked #2,443 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 5.3 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 94.5 (top 10%) — 89 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #17,826 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Highest-risk tenth
Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale
Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 40.5 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 79.7 ± 1.4 years.
Ranked #418 of the 4,173 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by modeled air-toxics risk, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
20755
Marylandshares a border
Score 60.88
Closest healthier
21075
Marylandshares a border
Score 65.31
Similar health profile
07874
New Jersey99% similar profile
Score 63.31
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 | 19.7% | 18.2–21.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 30.6% | 28.4–32.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.7% | 5.2–6.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.7% | 8.8–10.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 3.7% | 3.3–4.0 |
| Depression among adults | 18.3% | 16.5–20.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.3% | 8.3–10.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 32.4% | 30.2–34.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.9% | 29.7–36.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.2% | 2.1–2.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 6.8% | 5.7–8.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.5% | 5.7–7.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 71.0% | 68.5–73.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.4% | 76.1–80.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.5% | 88.3–90.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.3% | 64.2–70.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.0% | 64.5–69.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 84.2% | 80.6–87.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.2% | 14.3–18.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 9.1% | 8.0–10.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 18.6% | 16.6–20.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 41.0% | 37.7–44.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 14.1% | 12.7–15.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.3% | 13.1–15.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 9.8% | 8.9–10.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 10.8% | 9.8–11.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 22.0% | 19.9–24.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.5–4.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.8–5.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.6–9.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.4% | 2.2–2.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.2% | 2.9–3.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.3% | 22.0–26.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.0% | 10.6–13.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.2% | 7.1–9.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.3% | 10.0–12.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.6% | 31.5–37.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 6.1–7.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 57.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 97.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 65.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 18.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 53.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 11.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 38.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $146,869 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $513,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $2,428 | $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 | 79.7 yr ± 0.71 | 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 0.71 years of 79.7, 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