ZIP code
21629
in Denton, MarylandPopulation 10,252
46.75/ 100
Ranked #20,454 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 36%)
Ranked #415 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 9.4%)
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.
Mental-health provider access
0.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Outpatient-care access
0.5 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 15% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS15thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS75thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Overall, Denton, Maryland (ZIP 21629) places in the bottom 36% nationally (20,454th) and the bottom 9.4% of Maryland (415th).
The data opens on a genuinely even set of readings: mental-health providers registers in the top 4.2% nationally, and outpatient settles in the top 7.7% nationally. Distance to a community health center sits at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Subsidized affordable housing lies in the top 12.2% nationally. Distance to a nursing home rests at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the bottom 15% nationally, and elder services is in the top 15% nationally. On the other side, unemployment lands in the top 13.6% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility stands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep registers in the top 17% nationally.
Beside the areas that surround it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 21601, 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 76%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 73%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 49%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 22%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 33%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 34%
8%
Disability
healthier than 34%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 70%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 75%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 10%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 26%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 17%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 11%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Disability
healthier than 9%
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
2 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 76.9 ± 1.9 years. A median household income of $73,956 predicts 78.9 years — 2.0 years below.
Ranked #2,681 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 76.0; chronic-disease standing 21.6 — 54 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #2,150 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
21601
Marylandshares a border
Score 59.50
Closest healthier
21625
Marylandshares a border
Score 57.76
Similar health profile
47446
Indiana95% similar profile
Score 43.99
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 | 33.7% | 30.7–36.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.0% | 38.3–45.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.5% | 8.6–10.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.8% | 10.6–13.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.1% | 7.3–8.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.7% | 8.7–10.9 |
| Depression among adults | 24.1% | 20.9–27.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.3% | 12.6–16.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.2% | 37.4–44.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.2% | 35.5–47.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.4% | 4.1–4.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.6% | 13.8–19.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.8% | 8.3–11.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.5% | 74.8–79.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.3% | 76.2–82.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.7% | 86.2–89.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.5% | 61.8–70.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.1% | 53.6–60.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.0% | 67.7–81.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.2% | 11.8–16.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.1% | 14.9–19.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.2% | 24.5–32.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 40.0% | 34.6–45.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.1% | 19.5–24.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.9% | 15.9–19.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.4% | 13.7–17.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.1% | 14.3–18.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.5% | 29.8–37.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.3–9.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.6–10.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.7% | 14.8–18.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.5–6.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.1% | 20.9–27.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.5% | 15.9–21.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.1% | 14.8–19.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.5% | 12.5–16.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 8.1–10.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.1% | 29.6–39.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.6–11.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 17.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 34.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 48.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 16.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 40.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $73,956 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $334,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,133 | $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 | 76.9 yr ± 0.97 | 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 0.97 years of 76.9, 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