ZIP code
21664
in Secretary, MarylandPopulation 635
52.90/ 100
Ranked #12,229 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 38%)
Ranked #344 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 25%)
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.
Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 3.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
150 intersections/sq mi
in the top 5.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS95thDefinition & 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 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Crowded housing
6.9%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
10.5%
in the bottom 10.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS10thDefinition & 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 ›Colon-cancer screening
72.7%
in the top 8.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST78thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
12.9 mi
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS84thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
7.7 mi
in the top 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS82ndDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Secretary, Maryland (ZIP 21664) places in the top 38% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,229th) and the bottom 25% of Maryland (344th).
The clearest bright points in the data come first here: modeled expected annual loss settles in the bottom 3.4% nationally, and walkability sits in the top 5.5% nationally. Modeled disaster risk lies in the bottom 8.0% nationally, and pfas rests in the bottom 10.4% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise resides at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Modeled colon screening is in the top 8.2% nationally, and transportation noise lands in the bottom 13.6% nationally. By contrast, crowded housing stands in the top 8.6% nationally. Fiber broadband registers at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Distance to an emergency room settles in the top 16% nationally.
Beside the areas that surround it, walkability runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. 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. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 21631, 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 85%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 74%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 60%
8%
Disability
healthier than 60%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 48%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 54%
11%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 34%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 36%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 87%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 31%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 39%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 27%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 29%
8%
Disability
healthier than 27%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 21%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 18%
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.
Nearby
21631
Marylandshares a border
Score 53.47
Closest healthier
21673
Marylandabout 1.4 mi away
Score 56.37
Similar health profile
62444
Illinois94% similar profile
Score 51.96
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 | 32.4% | 29.2–35.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.3% | 33.6–41.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.0% | 9.0–11.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.9% | 9.6–12.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.1% | 6.2–8.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.2% | 6.7–9.7 |
| Depression among adults | 21.6% | 18.6–24.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.4% | 10.6–14.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.0% | 33.4–40.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.1% | 31.4–43.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.3–4.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.0% | 9.1–13.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.9% | 6.9–11.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.9% | 75.2–80.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.5% | 76.2–82.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.4% | 86.5–90.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 72.7% | 68.6–76.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.2% | 54.8–61.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.1% | 73.2–84.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.2% | 13.5–19.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.1% | 11.0–17.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.7% | 20.4–29.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.8% | 32.0–41.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.1% | 15.9–22.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.7% | 14.6–19.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.5% | 12.5–16.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.1% | 12.0–16.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.9% | 25.6–34.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.5–8.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.0% | 6.8–9.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.4% | 12.0–16.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.1–4.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.0–5.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.5% | 19.3–26.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.8% | 10.1–16.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 8.3–13.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.0% | 9.0–13.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 5.8–8.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.9% | 26.6–35.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.7% | 5.6–8.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 20.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 6.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 11.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 35.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 12.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 34.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $82,721 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $172,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,175 | $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 | 79.8 yr ± 1.25 | 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 1.25 years of 79.8, 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