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ZIP code

21542

in Midland, MarylandPopulation 84

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

50.21/ 100

Ranked #15,945 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 50%)

Ranked #389 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 15%)

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.

Walkability

410 intersections/sq mi

in the top 0.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the bottom 0.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
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 ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the bottom 1.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
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 ›

Households without a vehicle

44.1%

in the top 1.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with no vehicle available.

Full methodology ›

Outer-floodplain exposure

25.4%

in the top 1.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.

Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.

Full methodology ›

Tree cover

0.00%

at the national minimum

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.

Full methodology ›

Homeownership rate

41.2%

in the bottom 5.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST7th
US6th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Housing-cost burden

44.1%

in the top 6.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US94th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Poverty rate

29.8%

in the top 7.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

The read

By the composite health measure, Midland, Maryland (ZIP 21542) ranks in the top 50% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,945th) and the bottom 15% of Maryland (389th).

continue reading

The signals balance out across the profile, strengths against concerns: walkability stands in the top 0.3% nationally, and modeled disaster risk lies in the bottom 0.8% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss lands in the bottom 1.0% nationally, and transportation noise sits at the national minimum. Set against that, households without a vehicle is in the top 1.3% nationally, outer-floodplain exposure settles in the top 1.6% nationally, and modeled tree cover resides at the national minimum. Homeownership registers in the bottom 5.6% nationally, housing-cost burden rests in the top 6.1% nationally, and poverty stands in the top 7.0% nationally.

Read against the ZIPs closest to it, walkability runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, 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. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". Close by, ZIP 21543, about 2.2 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.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 95%

14%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 46%

21%

Preventive Care

healthier than 55%

13%

Disability

healthier than 56%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 54%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 27%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 33%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 38%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 23%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 95%

14%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 49%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 29%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 11%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 21%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 12%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 13%

8%

Disability

healthier than 22%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 8%

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 adults33.1%30.3–36.0
High blood pressure among adults38.3%35.0–41.5
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.4%9.4–11.6
Current asthma among adults10.8%9.6–12.2
Coronary heart disease among adults7.5%6.5–8.5
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.6%6.9–10.4
Depression among adults24.6%21.6–27.8
Diagnosed diabetes among adults12.5%10.8–14.3
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened39.4%36.4–42.5
Obesity among adults33.5%29.2–38.0
Stroke among adults3.9%3.3–4.5
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years9.1%7.5–11.0
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.4%5.1–10.3
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure78.3%75.8–80.7
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults80.1%77.3–82.9
Cholesterol screening among adults87.1%84.2–89.7
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years67.2%63.0–71.4
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults56.8%53.6–60.0
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years74.4%67.8–80.1
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.8%13.4–18.4
Current cigarette smoking among adults14.0%10.5–17.4
No leisure-time physical activity among adults28.3%23.4–33.2
Short sleep duration among adults40.3%36.2–44.7
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults19.5%16.0–23.4
Frequent mental distress among adults17.1%14.5–19.5
Frequent physical distress among adults14.5%12.3–16.7
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults14.3%11.6–17.0
Any disability among adults32.7%28.1–37.5
Hearing disability among adults8.2%7.2–9.2
Independent living disability among adults7.9%6.5–9.5
Mobility disability among adults14.9%12.3–17.7
Self-care disability among adults3.7%3.1–4.5
Vision disability among adults4.8%4.0–5.7
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults22.8%18.7–27.0
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults12.7%9.0–16.7
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults9.8%6.6–13.3
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.7%7.2–12.5
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults6.7%5.2–8.3
Loneliness among adults33.8%29.2–38.5
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults6.2%4.8–7.6
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MD median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate29.8%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3646.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459
Uninsured 18–647.0%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+)0.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50537.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463
Unemployment rate (16+)7.1%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457
Households without a vehicle44.1%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457
Broadband subscription76.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)44.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32227.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457
Homeownership rate41.2%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 households100.0%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08750.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450
Population 65+19.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55318.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464
Median age26.7 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$103,100$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
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MD median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth76.1 yr ± 1.0778.9 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 1.07 years of 76.1, 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