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ZIP code

21634

in Fishing Creek, MarylandPopulation 465

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

55.64/ 100

Ranked #8,696 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 27%)

Ranked #284 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 38%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Broad coverage across 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.

PFAS in drinking water

4.4%

in the bottom 0.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.

A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.

Full methodology ›

Fiber broadband

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.

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 ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the bottom 2.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US2nd
Definition & 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 ›

Homeownership rate

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Distance to an emergency room

20.2 mi

in the top 5.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.

Full methodology ›

Loneliness

27.6%

in the bottom 5.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US5th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.

Full methodology ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the bottom 6.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US7th
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 ›

Housing-cost burden

9.9%

in the bottom 9.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US9th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Walkability

2.3 intersections/sq mi

in the bottom 9.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US10th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

The read

By its overall health score, Fishing Creek, Maryland (ZIP 21634) lands in the top 27% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,696th) and the bottom 38% of Maryland (284th), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: modeled pfas settles in the bottom 0.7% nationally, and fiber broadband lies at the national maximum. Modeled transportation noise resides at the national minimum, and industrial-pollution burden lands in the bottom 2.3% nationally. Homeownership registers at the national maximum, modeled loneliness sits in the bottom 5.4% nationally, and modeled expected annual loss rests in the bottom 6.8% nationally. Housing-cost burden is in the bottom 9.4% nationally. On the other hand, distance to an emergency room stands in the top 5.3% nationally, and walkability settles in the bottom 9.7% nationally.

Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 20670, about 5.8 miles away.

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

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 72%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 98%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 92%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 75%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 89%

8%

About typical

Disability

healthier than 56%

7%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 56%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 21%

21%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 11%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 99%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 74%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 74%

8%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 48%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 54%

11%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 54%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 9%

21%

Disability

healthier than 22%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 1%

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 adults38.2%34.9–41.8
High blood pressure among adults43.5%39.8–47.5
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults13.0%11.7–14.3
Current asthma among adults10.1%8.9–11.3
Coronary heart disease among adults9.2%8.0–10.4
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.3%7.7–11.1
Depression among adults19.3%16.6–22.4
Diagnosed diabetes among adults14.7%12.7–16.8
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened42.2%38.4–46.2
Obesity among adults36.7%31.4–42.6
Stroke among adults4.4%3.8–5.1
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years11.1%9.1–13.3
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.7%5.9–9.6
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure82.2%79.5–84.6
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults82.6%79.5–85.2
Cholesterol screening among adults91.2%89.7–92.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years72.6%68.6–76.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults62.9%59.5–66.0
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years78.8%72.8–84.0
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults14.5%11.9–17.1
Current cigarette smoking among adults13.2%10.7–15.9
No leisure-time physical activity among adults24.6%20.5–29.0
Short sleep duration among adults34.1%29.4–39.0
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults19.3%16.1–22.7
Frequent mental distress among adults14.0%12.3–16.0
Frequent physical distress among adults15.1%13.0–17.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.0%10.2–13.9
Any disability among adults30.7%26.5–35.1
Hearing disability among adults9.5%8.3–10.7
Independent living disability among adults7.4%6.3–8.7
Mobility disability among adults16.0%13.5–18.9
Self-care disability among adults3.9%3.3–4.6
Vision disability among adults4.6%4.0–5.4
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults20.5%17.3–24.1
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.2%8.1–12.5
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults8.3%6.5–10.3
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults8.4%6.9–10.1
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.6%4.7–6.6
Loneliness among adults27.6%23.6–32.1
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.3%4.5–6.3
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MD median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate8.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3646.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459
Uninsured 18–6442.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2864.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459
No HS diploma (25+)18.5%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5056.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463
Bachelor's or higher (25+)23.1%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50537.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463
Unemployment rate (16+)5.4%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457
Households without a vehicle10.6%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457
Broadband subscription85.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)9.9%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32227.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457
Homeownership rate100.0%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 population13.8%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5536.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464
Single-parent households56.8%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08750.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450
Population 65+28.6%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55318.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464
Median age38.4 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460
Median household income$83,250$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419
Median home value$232,300$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
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MD median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth80.1 yr ± 2.2378.9 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 2.23 years of 80.1, 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