ZIP code
21215
in Baltimore, MarylandPopulation 52,229
43.47/ 100
Ranked #23,941 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 25%)
Ranked #435 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 5.1%)
Ranked #149 of 157 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ZIPs (bottom 5.1%)
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.
Subsidized affordable housing
1,735 units
in the top 0.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Transit access
12 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
240 intersections/sq mi
in the top 1.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Stroke
6.2%
in the top 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
30.9%
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
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 ›Diabetes
19.4%
in the top 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
7.0%
in the top 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
24.6%
in the top 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
49%
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, ZIP 21215, one of several in Baltimore, Maryland lands in the bottom 25% nationally (23,941st) and the bottom 5.1% of Maryland (435th).
The burdens that read clearest in the data come first: modeled stroke resides in the top 3.2% nationally, and households without a vehicle lands in the top 2.3% nationally. Modeled loneliness registers in the top 3.0% nationally, and diabetes sits in the top 4.8% nationally. Modeled self-care disability rests in the top 5.9% nationally, housing insecurity is in the top 4.4% nationally, and high blood pressure stands in the top 4.5% nationally. Better still, subsidized affordable housing settles in the top 0.4% nationally, transit lies in the top 0.9% nationally, and walkability resides in the top 1.5% nationally.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, subsidized affordable housing runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 21207, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 64%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 82%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 50%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 7%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Disability
healthier than 15%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 97%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 50%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 3%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 3%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 7%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 19%
8%
Disability
healthier than 1%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 77%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the top 0.7%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 44%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 2%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 5%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 5%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 22%
8%
Disability
healthier than 3%
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
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 74.5 ± 0.8 years. A median household income of $51,587 predicts 77.5 years — 3.0 years below.
Ranked #4,061 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 74.5 ± 0.8 years. The 43 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 77.3 years — 2.8 years below them.
Ranked #2,161 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 64.1; chronic-disease standing 10.9 — 53 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #2,256 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
21207
Marylandshares a border
Score 49.93
Closest healthier
21208
Marylandshares a border
Score 59.35
Similar health profile
23661
Virginia98% similar profile
Score 46.30
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 | 31.6% | 29.2–33.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 49.0% | 46.2–51.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.7% | 6.1–7.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 13.4% | 12.1–14.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.7–9.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.4% | 8.6–10.3 |
| Depression among adults | 21.4% | 19.1–23.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 19.4% | 17.6–21.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.7% | 36.8–42.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 42.0% | 37.9–46.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 6.2% | 5.7–6.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.9% | 15.2–20.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.8% | 9.5–12.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.2% | 79.2–82.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.4% | 81.2–85.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.2% | 87.9–90.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.2% | 66.7–73.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 51.6% | 48.7–54.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 82.6% | 78.3–86.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.5% | 10.8–14.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.4% | 15.5–19.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.4% | 29.3–35.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 43.4% | 39.7–46.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 28.0% | 25.7–30.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.0% | 16.3–19.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.0% | 14.6–17.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.6% | 15.1–18.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.4% | 35.5–41.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–6.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.6% | 10.6–12.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 22.3% | 20.4–24.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.5–7.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 8.7% | 8.0–9.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 30.7% | 27.5–34.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 30.3% | 27.5–33.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 30.4% | 27.6–33.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 24.6% | 22.1–27.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 14.8% | 13.3–16.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 40.8% | 37.0–44.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 17.0% | 15.3–18.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 21.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 26.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 30.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 77.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 45.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 54.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 9.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 34.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 21.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 41.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $51,587 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $201,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,172 | $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 | 74.5 yr ± 0.42 | 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 0.42 years of 74.5, 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