ZIP code
21679
in Wye Mills, MarylandPopulation 306
58.20/ 100
Ranked #6,235 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 19%)
Ranked #231 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 50%)
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.
Homeownership rate
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
5.4%
in the bottom 3.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
10.6%
in the top 8.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
73.9%
in the bottom 8.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST5thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$119,821
in the top 9.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST61stUS90thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 14.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS14thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
18%
in the top 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS81stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
28.8 mi
in the top 30% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS70thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Wye Mills, Maryland (ZIP 21679) ranks in the top 19% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,235th) and the bottom 50% of Maryland (231st).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: homeownership settles at the national maximum. Households without a vehicle rests at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled tooth loss lands in the bottom 3.0% nationally, household income settles in the top 9.7% nationally, and modeled expected annual loss rests in the bottom 12.2% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the bottom 14.2% nationally. Crowded housing settles at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep rests in the bottom 16% nationally. By contrast, unemployment lands in the top 8.5% nationally, and home broadband subscription settles in the bottom 8.8% nationally.
For context, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 67%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 67%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 85%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 77%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 72%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 63%
8%
Disability
healthier than 78%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 44%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 48%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 88%
14%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 54%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 42%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 43%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 49%
11%
Disability
healthier than 48%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 30%
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
21601
Marylandshares a border
Score 59.50
Closest healthier
21658
Marylandshares a border
Score 62.76
Similar health profile
21085
Maryland98% similar profile
Score 58.86
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 | 28.6% | 25.5–31.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.5% | 32.9–40.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.9% | 8.9–10.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.2–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.5% | 5.6–7.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.0% | 5.6–8.7 |
| Depression among adults | 22.9% | 19.9–26.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.9% | 9.2–12.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.3% | 35.9–42.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.9% | 26.2–36.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 2.8–3.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 5.4% | 4.4–6.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.4% | 4.7–8.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.5% | 74.6–80.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.4% | 76.3–82.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.9% | 87.9–91.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.1% | 59.0–66.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 73.5% | 70.7–76.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.6% | 70.9–83.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.0% | 15.2–20.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.1% | 9.8–16.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.9% | 17.5–26.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.3% | 27.1–35.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.8% | 13.5–20.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.2–17.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.1% | 10.9–15.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.5% | 10.2–15.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.0% | 22.8–31.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.9% | 6.0–8.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.8% | 5.5–8.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.4% | 10.0–15.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 2.7–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.2–4.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.7% | 17.3–24.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.3% | 7.4–13.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.4% | 5.9–11.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 7.2–12.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.7% | 4.5–7.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.6% | 27.2–36.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.0% | 4.8–7.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 0.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 48.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 10.6% | 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 | 73.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 33.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 100.0% | 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 | 1.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 87.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 55.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 69.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $119,821 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $521,700 | $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 | 76.5 yr ± 1.92 | 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 1.92 years of 76.5, 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