ZIP code
21085
in Joppa, MarylandPopulation 17,307
58.86/ 100
Ranked #5,697 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 18%)
Ranked #220 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 48%)
Ranked #103 of 157 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ZIPs (bottom 34%)
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.
Distance to a Superfund site
0.9 mi
in the bottom 6.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Joppa, Maryland (ZIP 21085) lands in the top 18% healthiest ZIPs nationally (5,697th) and the top 48% of Maryland (220th).
A number of measures place this area on solid footing: lead in tap water settles in the bottom 14.1% nationally, and modeled tooth loss resides in the bottom 10.6% nationally. Modeled mammography registers in the top 12.3% nationally, and household income rests in the top 11.9% nationally. Fiber broadband stands in the top 14.8% nationally, modeled energy burden lies in the bottom 16% nationally, and park land lands in the top 19% nationally. Modeled mobility disability sits in the bottom 18% nationally. By contrast, distance to a Superfund site is in the bottom 6.8% nationally, and modeled loud transportation noise settles in the top 20% nationally.
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. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 21009, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 64%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 78%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 65%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 82%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 77%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 69%
8%
Disability
healthier than 82%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 45%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 50%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 55%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 52%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 57%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 31%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 79%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 43%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 47%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 42%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 27%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 37%
16%
Disability
healthier than 34%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 24%
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 77.2 ± 1.6 years. A median household income of $113,714 predicts 80.6 years — 3.4 years below.
Ranked #4,544 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
21009
Marylandshares a border
Score 61.59
Closest healthier
21010
Marylandshares a border
Score 60.18
Similar health profile
21758
Maryland99% similar profile
Score 59.86
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 | 28.3% | 25.7–31.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.8% | 33.7–40.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.9% | 8.1–9.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.3–11.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.0% | 5.4–6.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.3 |
| Depression among adults | 21.6% | 18.8–24.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.9% | 10.5–13.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.4% | 37.0–43.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.2% | 31.4–41.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 3.0–3.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 7.5% | 6.1–9.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.0% | 5.9–8.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.4% | 73.6–78.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.8% | 76.9–82.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.8% | 88.4–91.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.9% | 66.2–73.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.0% | 62.1–68.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.8% | 74.3–84.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.2% | 12.0–16.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.5% | 9.9–13.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.4% | 18.5–24.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.8% | 33.6–42.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.7% | 14.7–18.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.8% | 14.1–17.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.5% | 11.2–14.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.2% | 10.8–13.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 25.4% | 22.6–28.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.6–7.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.0–7.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.7% | 10.3–13.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.2% | 2.9–3.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.6–4.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.5% | 19.4–25.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.6% | 9.9–13.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.6–10.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 9.2–12.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.7% | 28.5–37.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.7% | 5.8–7.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 5.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 31.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 21.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 5.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 54.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 20.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 42.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $113,714 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $348,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,734 | $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 | 77.2 yr ± 0.80 | 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 0.80 years of 77.2, 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