ZIP code
21224
in Baltimore, MarylandPopulation 47,465
52.45/ 100
Ranked #12,828 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 40%)
Ranked #352 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 23%)
Ranked #132 of 157 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ZIPs (bottom 16%)
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
In this ZIP
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Transit access
7.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS98thDefinition & 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 ›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 ›Walkability
150 intersections/sq mi
in the top 5.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
20.2%
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
4.9%
in the bottom 5.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST22ndUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Loneliness
38.2%
in the top 8.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
4.7%
in the bottom 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
28.4%
in the bottom 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.11 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics located 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 ›The read
On the composite measure, ZIP 21224, one of several in Baltimore, Maryland stands in the top 40% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,828th) and the bottom 23% of Maryland (352nd).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: transit lands in the top 2.5% nationally, and walkability settles in the top 5.0% nationally. Distance to an emergency room rests at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled hearing disability lands in the bottom 5.7% nationally, coronary heart disease settles in the bottom 7.0% nationally, and high blood pressure rests in the bottom 6.8% nationally. By contrast, distance to a Superfund site lands at the national minimum, PFAS in drinking water settles at the national maximum, and modeled binge drinking rests in the top 5.5% nationally. Modeled loneliness lands in the top 8.1% nationally.
For clarity, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. ZIP 21230, 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 88%
21%
Disability
healthier than 71%
7%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 39%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 14%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 21%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 36%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 25%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 89%
21%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 19%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 4%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 6%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 13%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 7%
8%
Disability
healthier than 37%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 36%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 85%
21%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 8%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 4%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 9%
8%
Disability
healthier than 21%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 27%
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 73.7 ± 0.9 years. A median household income of $89,017 predicts 79.6 years — 5.9 years below.
Ranked #5,731 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 73.7 ± 0.9 years. The 43 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 76.4 years — 2.7 years below them.
Ranked #2,142 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 14.4; chronic-disease standing 88.5 — 74 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #16,747 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
21205
Marylandshares a border
Score 34.33
Closest healthier
21230
Marylandshares a border
Score 54.32
Similar health profile
50311
Iowa98% similar profile
Score 52.55
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 | 19.4% | 17.9–20.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 28.4% | 26.4–30.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.3% | 4.9–5.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 10.0–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.7% | 4.4–5.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.8% | 5.3–6.2 |
| Depression among adults | 25.6% | 23.3–28.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.5% | 8.7–10.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 32.1% | 29.8–34.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.1% | 29.8–36.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.7% | 2.5–2.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.0% | 11.4–14.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.4% | 12.0–15.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 67.8% | 65.6–69.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 74.3% | 71.6–76.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.9% | 83.3–86.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.8% | 61.9–67.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.2% | 55.7–60.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.3% | 74.5–81.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.2% | 17.9–22.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.5% | 12.3–14.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.9% | 21.9–26.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.8% | 32.7–38.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.5% | 18.0–21.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.0% | 16.5–19.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.2% | 11.2–13.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.5% | 14.2–16.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.4% | 26.2–30.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.9% | 7.3–8.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.4% | 10.5–12.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.4–3.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.9–5.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.5% | 22.0–27.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 20.4% | 18.5–22.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.3% | 15.6–19.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.6% | 15.8–19.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.5% | 9.4–11.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 38.2% | 34.9–41.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.5% | 9.4–11.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 16.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 48.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 12.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 91.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 33.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 58.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 19.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 46.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 12.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 34.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $89,017 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $295,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,778 | $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 | 73.7 yr ± 0.45 | 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 0.45 years of 73.7, 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