ZIP code
21523
in Bloomington, MarylandPopulation 150
45.42/ 100
Ranked #21,973 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 31%)
Ranked #421 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 8.1%)
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.
Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS2ndDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS2ndDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
13.3%
in the top 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
44.9%
in the top 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
41.7%
in the top 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
65.6%
in the top 11.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
45.6%
in the top 10.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
9.9%
in the top 10.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Bloomington, Maryland (ZIP 21523) sits in the bottom 31% nationally (21,973rd) and the bottom 8.1% of Maryland (421st).
The profile carries real weight, and several readings make that plain: unemployment rests in the top 5.0% nationally, modeled high cholesterol settles in the top 4.6% nationally, and housing-cost burden lands in the top 8.4% nationally. Fiber broadband rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Better still, modeled disaster risk settles in the bottom 1.9% nationally, and expected annual loss lands in the bottom 2.3% nationally. Poverty rests at the national minimum, and home broadband subscription settles at the national maximum. Households without a vehicle lands at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled extreme heat rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs.
Placed beside its immediate neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 21561, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 73%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 46%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 55%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 52%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 35%
11%
Disability
healthier than 24%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 65%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 97%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 2%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 24%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 20%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 20%
8%
Disability
healthier than 4%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 40%
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.
Nearby
21561
Marylandshares a border
Score 52.09
Closest healthier
26726
West Virginiashares a border
Score 45.83
Similar health profile
16745
Pennsylvania98% similar profile
Score 43.81
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 | 37.1% | 33.9–40.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 45.6% | 42.0–49.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.2% | 10.1–12.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.4% | 10.1–12.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.9% | 8.6–11.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.7% | 9.8–13.9 |
| Depression among adults | 21.6% | 18.7–24.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.2% | 14.2–18.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 44.9% | 41.2–48.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.7% | 33.3–44.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.3–5.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.7% | 12.0–17.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.5% | 7.0–12.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.8% | 77.3–82.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.5% | 76.6–82.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.5% | 85.3–89.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.7% | 60.9–70.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 55.9% | 52.4–59.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.9% | 70.0–82.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.6% | 11.5–16.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.1% | 14.7–21.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.5% | 26.6–36.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.1% | 32.1–42.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.4% | 21.5–29.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.6% | 15.4–19.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.3% | 15.0–20.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.8% | 13.4–18.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.2% | 31.6–41.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.4% | 9.1–11.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.2% | 8.5–12.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.0% | 16.0–22.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.2–6.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.1–7.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.7% | 19.2–27.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.0% | 12.6–20.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 15.4% | 12.1–19.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.9% | 9.7–14.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.7–9.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.9% | 27.2–37.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.8–9.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 0.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 0.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 0.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 20.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 13.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 100.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 41.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 88.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 30.6% | 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 | 37.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $59,063 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $98,100 | $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
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 74.9 yr ± 1.80 | 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 1.80 years of 74.9, 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