ZIP code
21206
in Baltimore, MarylandPopulation 48,902
48.45/ 100
Ranked #18,357 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 43%)
Ranked #405 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 11.6%)
Ranked #143 of 157 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ZIPs (bottom 9.0%)
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.
Walkability
200 intersections/sq mi
in the top 2.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Loneliness
40.8%
in the top 3.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Transit access
5.7 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops 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 ›Households without a vehicle
19%
in the top 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were detected in EPA testing.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
23.3%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
43.2%
in the top 6.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Mammography
82.2%
in the top 3.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST82ndUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Utility shut-off threat
15.5%
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
0.8 mi
in the bottom 6.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS6thDefinition & 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
In overall standing, ZIP 21206, one of several in Baltimore, Maryland comes out in the bottom 43% nationally (18,357th) and the bottom 11.6% of Maryland (405th).
The measures fall on both sides of the ledger for this area: walkability rests in the top 2.7% nationally, transit lies in the top 4.0% nationally, and modeled mammography sits in the top 3.6% nationally. Set against that, modeled loneliness settles in the top 3.0% nationally, households without a vehicle registers in the top 4.9% nationally, and PFAS in drinking water stands at the national maximum. Modeled housing insecurity lands in the top 5.4% nationally, and short sleep is in the top 6.1% nationally. Modeled utility shutoff resides in the top 6.3% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site rests in the bottom 6.5% nationally.
Relative to the ZIPs around it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain terms, PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 21214, 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
Preventive Care
healthier than 75%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 63%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 91%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 42%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 48%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 40%
8%
Disability
healthier than 42%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 9%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 27%
11%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 71%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 93%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 25%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 3%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 8%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Disability
healthier than 13%
7%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 92%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 43%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 60%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 10%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 6%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 34%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 8%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 16%
8%
Disability
healthier than 10%
7%
“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
2 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 73.9 ± 1.0 years. A median household income of $64,531 predicts 78.3 years — 4.4 years below.
Ranked #5,306 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 73.9 ± 1.0 years. The 45 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 76.9 years — 3.0 years below them.
Ranked #2,363 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
21205
Marylandshares a border
Score 34.33
Closest healthier
21214
Marylandshares a border
Score 55.80
Similar health profile
13207
New York96% similar profile
Score 47.17
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 | 26.8% | 24.9–28.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.2% | 39.8–44.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.9% | 5.5–6.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 13.2% | 12.0–14.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.7–6.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.7–8.0 |
| Depression among adults | 22.1% | 20.0–24.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.1% | 13.8–16.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.2% | 33.8–38.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.4% | 36.7–44.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.4% | 4.1–4.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.5% | 11.7–15.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.5% | 8.3–10.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.9% | 74.9–78.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.7% | 79.6–83.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.6% | 87.3–89.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.4% | 66.6–72.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 55.0% | 52.4–57.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 82.2% | 78.5–85.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.9% | 12.2–15.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.0% | 14.4–17.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.4% | 26.0–31.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 43.2% | 40.0–46.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.3% | 21.4–25.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.6% | 17.1–20.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.9% | 12.7–15.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.8% | 14.4–17.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.8% | 30.3–35.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.4–5.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.9–10.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.7% | 15.3–18.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.2% | 4.9–5.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.5% | 6.1–7.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 30.6% | 27.8–33.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 26.6% | 24.2–29.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 25.3% | 23.0–27.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 23.3% | 21.1–25.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 12.0–14.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 40.8% | 37.6–44.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 15.5% | 13.9–17.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 27.5% | 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 | 19.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 38.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 53.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 32.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 13.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 36.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $64,531 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $216,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,247 | $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 | 73.9 yr ± 0.50 | 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 0.50 years of 73.9, 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