ZIP code
21557
in Rawlings, MarylandPopulation 1,481
41.44/ 100
Ranked #25,715 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 20%)
Ranked #446 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 2.7%)
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
0.2 mi
in the bottom 4.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST5thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Tree cover
79.2%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$34,936
in the bottom 3.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
78.3%
in the bottom 14.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Stroke
5.1%
in the top 12.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
9.5%
in the top 14.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS86thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
10.0%
in the top 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS81stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
19.3%
in the top 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS79thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
25.5%
in the top 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS79thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Radon
2.4 pCi/L
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS78thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite health measure, Rawlings, Maryland (ZIP 21557) ranks in the bottom 20% nationally (25,715th) and the bottom 2.7% of Maryland (446th).
The picture here is genuinely mixed, with readings on both sides: modeled tree cover sits in the top 5.2% nationally. Unemployment is at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Households without a vehicle settles at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled extreme heat resides at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Crowded housing registers at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. On the other side, distance to a Superfund site rests in the bottom 4.6% nationally, and household income stands in the bottom 3.3% nationally. Fiber broadband lies at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Home broadband subscription lands in the bottom 14.1% nationally, and modeled stroke sits in the top 12.8% nationally.
To spell things out, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. Close by, ZIP 21502, just across the boundary, 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.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 60%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 60%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 74%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 50%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 14%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 14%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 63%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 76%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 46%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 4%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 19%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 4%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 2%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
21502
Marylandshares a border
Score 44.17
Closest healthier
21532
Marylandshares a border
Score 49.99
Similar health profile
25823
West Virginia99% similar profile
Score 31.80
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 | 36.5% | 33.7–39.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.0% | 39.9–46.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.6% | 9.7–11.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.8% | 10.6–13.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.6–10.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.9% | 10.6–13.3 |
| Depression among adults | 26.8% | 23.9–30.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.2% | 13.5–17.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.8% | 37.7–44.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.4% | 32.9–42.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.1% | 4.6–5.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.1% | 14.4–20.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.4% | 8.0–11.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.1% | 76.6–81.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.7% | 78.0–83.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.4% | 85.8–88.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.3% | 59.3–67.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.5% | 55.3–61.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.9% | 68.7–80.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.7% | 11.6–16.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.9% | 17.5–22.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 35.0% | 31.4–39.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 40.1% | 36.0–44.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.5% | 22.8–28.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.2% | 17.3–21.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.6% | 15.8–19.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.2% | 15.3–19.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.5% | 35.0–42.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.0% | 9.0–11.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.6–12.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.3% | 17.2–21.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.7–5.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.5% | 5.9–7.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.2% | 21.1–27.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.6% | 16.0–21.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.4% | 14.9–20.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 11.3–15.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.7–10.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.5% | 30.4–38.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.8–10.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 18.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 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 | 78.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 14.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.8% | 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 | 4.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 61.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 20.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 45.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $34,936 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $123,300 | $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 | 78.1 yr ± 0.96 | 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 0.96 years of 78.1, 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