ZIP code
21663
in St. Michaels, MarylandPopulation 3,764
60.19/ 100
Ranked #4,716 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 14.8%)
Ranked #189 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 41%)
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.
Colon-cancer screening
78%
in the top 0.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
45.8%
in the top 3.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
4.8%
in the bottom 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST16thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
4.4%
in the top 8.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
29.6%
in the bottom 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
10.3%
in the bottom 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST19thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
7.3%
in the bottom 9.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST14thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Utility shut-off threat
4.7%
in the bottom 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST16thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
30.1%
in the top 10.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
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 ›The read
St. Michaels, Maryland (ZIP 21663) ranks in the top 14.8% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,716th) and the top 41% of Maryland (189th).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: modeled colon screening rests in the top 0.7% nationally, and transportation lands in the bottom 5.9% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden settles in the bottom 8.3% nationally, and short sleep rests in the bottom 7.9% nationally. Modeled cognitive disability lands in the bottom 6.3% nationally, housing insecurity settles in the bottom 9.5% nationally, and utility shutoff rests in the bottom 9.7% nationally. By contrast, modeled high cholesterol lands in the top 3.0% nationally, outer-floodplain exposure settles in the top 8.2% nationally, and floodplain exposure rests in the top 10.0% nationally.
Against its neighbors, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 21612, 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 84%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 83%
14%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.8%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 96%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 92%
8%
Disability
healthier than 65%
7%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 23%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 64%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 84%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 99%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 90%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 82%
8%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 10%
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 ›
Findings that name this ZIP
One of our published findings lists 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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 83.1; chronic-disease standing 23.6 — 60 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,776 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
21612
Marylandshares a border
Score 60.21
Similar health profile
02641
Massachusetts99% similar profile
Score 63.16
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 | 37.0% | 33.7–40.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.4% | 40.8–48.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 14.7% | 13.4–16.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.1% | 7.9–10.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.3% | 6.8–10.1 |
| Depression among adults | 20.1% | 17.4–23.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.6% | 11.8–15.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 45.8% | 42.1–49.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 28.8% | 24.3–33.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.5% | 3.9–5.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.8% | 7.1–10.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.0% | 4.8–7.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 84.5% | 82.1–86.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 85.2% | 82.7–87.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 93.6% | 92.6–94.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 78.0% | 74.3–81.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 73.0% | 70.0–75.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.7% | 74.8–85.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.5% | 10.5–14.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 9.8% | 7.7–12.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.7% | 18.8–26.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.6% | 25.3–33.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.4% | 14.5–20.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 12.3% | 10.7–13.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.6% | 11.6–15.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 10.3% | 8.7–11.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.0% | 25.9–34.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.3–10.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.9% | 5.7–8.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.7% | 13.1–18.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.0–4.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.4% | 3.7–5.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 18.3% | 15.5–21.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.7% | 6.9–10.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 5.6–9.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.3% | 6.1–8.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 4.8% | 4.1–5.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.2% | 25.1–33.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 4.7% | 3.9–5.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.8% | 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+) | 10.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 52.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 29.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.1% | 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 | 16.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 64.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 33.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 56.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $89,775 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $650,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,067 | $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 | 80.6 yr ± 1.95 | 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 1.95 years of 80.6, 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