Skip to main content
ZipVitals

Menu

ZIP code

21156

in Upper Falls, MarylandPopulation 204

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

62.48/ 100

Ranked #3,237 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 10.1%)

Ranked #138 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 30%)

Ranked #70 of 157 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ZIPs (top 45%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Housing-cost burden

55.4%

in the top 1.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

Full methodology ›

Poverty rate

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Homeownership rate

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.

Full methodology ›

Home broadband subscription

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Hearing disability

4.6%

in the bottom 4.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST17th
US4th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.

Full methodology ›

Mammography

81.8%

in the top 4.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST79th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Coronary heart disease

4.5%

in the bottom 5.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST11th
US6th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.

Full methodology ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the bottom 8.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST11th
US8th
Definition & 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 ›

Stroke

2.4%

in the bottom 5.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US5th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the bottom 8.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US8th
Definition & 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 ›

The read

By the composite measure, Upper Falls, Maryland (ZIP 21156) sits in the top 10.1% healthiest ZIPs nationally (3,237th) and the top 30% of Maryland (138th).

continue reading

Where the data leans one way, another reading answers it: poverty rests at the national minimum, homeownership sits at the national maximum, and home broadband subscription registers at the national maximum. Modeled hearing disability lands in the bottom 4.0% nationally, and mammography resides in the top 4.4% nationally. Unemployment lies at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled coronary heart disease settles in the bottom 5.7% nationally. Households without a vehicle stands at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled expected annual loss is in the bottom 8.2% nationally. On the other hand, housing-cost burden rests in the top 1.8% nationally.

Compared with the ZIPs that surround it, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain language, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. ZIP 21162, about 0.4 miles away, ranks healthier 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 84%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 85%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 72%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 86%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 88%

11%

Disability

healthier than 93%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 71%

5%

Holding it back

Mental Health

healthier than 30%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 34%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 81%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 66%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 62%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 62%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 77%

11%

Disability

healthier than 82%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 87%

5%

Holding it back

Mental Health

healthier than 8%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 26%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 76%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 85%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 73%

11%

Disability

healthier than 71%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 84%

5%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 49%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 52%

13%

Holding it back

Mental Health

healthier than 11%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 25%

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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults26.0%23.7–28.3
High blood pressure among adults28.9%26.3–31.4
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.5%7.7–9.4
Current asthma among adults11.7%10.5–13.0
Coronary heart disease among adults4.5%3.8–5.2
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults5.5%4.3–6.9
Depression among adults25.9%23.2–28.6
Diagnosed diabetes among adults8.9%7.6–10.3
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened36.0%33.6–38.5
Obesity among adults30.0%26.3–33.6
Stroke among adults2.4%2.1–2.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years7.3%5.9–8.8
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years5.5%4.0–7.4
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure74.9%72.2–77.5
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults78.8%76.4–81.1
Cholesterol screening among adults89.8%87.8–91.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years69.7%66.5–72.9
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults69.6%67.3–71.9
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years81.8%77.5–85.5
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.6%13.7–17.7
Current cigarette smoking among adults9.7%7.0–12.4
No leisure-time physical activity among adults20.1%16.3–24.0
Short sleep duration among adults32.8%29.8–36.0
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults13.6%10.9–16.5
Frequent mental distress among adults17.1%14.8–19.6
Frequent physical distress among adults10.7%9.0–12.5
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.0%9.8–14.4
Any disability among adults22.1%18.6–25.7
Hearing disability among adults4.6%4.0–5.4
Independent living disability among adults6.1%4.9–7.5
Mobility disability among adults9.4%7.6–11.5
Self-care disability among adults2.5%2.0–3.0
Vision disability among adults3.0%2.5–3.7
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults20.7%17.7–24.2
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.0%6.4–12.1
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults6.3%4.3–8.9
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults8.6%6.5–10.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.4%4.3–6.8
Loneliness among adults33.6%30.0–37.6
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.0%3.9–6.2
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MD median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate0.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3646.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459
Uninsured 18–640.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2864.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459
No HS diploma (25+)0.0%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5056.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463
Bachelor's or higher (25+)66.9%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50537.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457
Broadband subscription100.0%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)55.4%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32227.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457
Homeownership rate100.0%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32282.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457
Foreign-born population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5536.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464
Single-parent households29.8%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08750.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450
Population 65+0.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55318.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464
Median age37.3 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460
Median household income—$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419
Median home value$793,800$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
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MD median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth79.5 yr ± 2.3678.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30879.5 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 2.36 years of 79.5, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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