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ZIP code

21737

in Glenelg, MarylandPopulation 2,474

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

72.45/ 100

Ranked #222 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 0.7%)

Ranked #15 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 3.3%)

Ranked #5 of 157 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ZIPs (top 3.2%)

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

Robust across all 9 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.

Median household income

$250,001

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

Lack of transportation

3.9%

in the bottom 1.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Nitrate in drinking water

27.1%

in the top 1.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams per liter.

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 ›

Utility shut-off threat

3.6%

in the bottom 2.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US2nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Fatal road crashes

0 per 100,000 residents per year

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.

A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.

Full methodology ›

Cognitive disability

7.9%

in the bottom 0.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST3rd
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.

Full methodology ›

Food insecurity

6.4%

in the bottom 2.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US2nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Housing insecurity

5.9%

in the bottom 2.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US2nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Independent-living disability

4.0%

in the bottom 0.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

Full methodology ›

Fair or poor health

10.3%

in the bottom 1.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.

Full methodology ›

The read

Overall, Glenelg, Maryland (ZIP 21737) lands in the top 0.7% healthiest ZIPs nationally (222nd) and the top 3.3% of Maryland (15th).

continue reading

The picture here is genuinely mixed, with readings on both sides: household income rests at the national maximum, and modeled transportation stands in the bottom 1.3% nationally. Modeled utility shutoff lies in the bottom 2.0% nationally, and fatal road crashes lands at the national minimum. Modeled cognitive disability sits in the bottom 0.6% nationally, food insecurity is in the bottom 2.2% nationally, and housing insecurity settles in the bottom 2.4% nationally. Modeled independent living disability resides in the bottom 0.3% nationally, and fair or poor health registers in the bottom 1.0% nationally. On the other side, modeled nitrate rests in the top 1.8% nationally.

Set beside the nearby areas, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 21042, less than a tenth of a mile away, ranks better overall.

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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 92%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 98%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 94%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 97%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 98%

8%

Disability

in the top 0.7%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 63%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 49%

14%

Holding it back

Healthcare Access

healthier than 25%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 92%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 95%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 84%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 91%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 94%

8%

Disability

healthier than 98%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 73%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 31%

14%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 12%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 88%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 94%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 75%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 92%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 97%

8%

Disability

healthier than 98%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 65%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 45%

14%

Holding it back

Healthcare Access

healthier than 12%

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 adults24.0%21.8–26.5
High blood pressure among adults32.3%29.5–35.4
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.1%7.4–8.9
Current asthma among adults8.7%7.8–9.7
Coronary heart disease among adults4.4%3.9–4.9
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults3.6%3.1–4.3
Depression among adults17.7%15.5–20.1
Diagnosed diabetes among adults9.4%8.2–10.7
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened40.9%37.7–44.1
Obesity among adults26.9%23.2–30.9
Stroke among adults2.2%2.0–2.5
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years3.5%2.8–4.4
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years4.0%3.3–4.8
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure75.6%72.6–78.6
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults80.9%78.2–83.4
Cholesterol screening among adults92.6%91.4–93.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years67.0%63.2–70.7
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults75.1%72.6–77.6
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years82.5%77.4–86.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults14.0%12.0–16.3
Current cigarette smoking among adults6.5%5.2–8.0
No leisure-time physical activity among adults14.0%11.8–16.4
Short sleep duration among adults35.3%31.4–39.5
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults10.3%8.9–12.0
Frequent mental distress among adults11.4%10.0–12.8
Frequent physical distress among adults8.9%7.8–10.1
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults7.9%6.9–9.1
Any disability among adults18.2%15.9–20.8
Hearing disability among adults4.6%4.1–5.2
Independent living disability among adults4.0%3.5–4.6
Mobility disability among adults7.6%6.5–8.9
Self-care disability among adults2.0%1.7–2.2
Vision disability among adults2.5%2.2–2.8
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults19.6%17.0–22.4
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults6.4%5.2–7.9
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults3.7%3.0–4.7
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults5.9%4.9–7.0
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults3.9%3.4–4.5
Loneliness among adults28.8%25.3–32.4
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults3.6%3.1–4.2
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MD median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate0.2%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3646.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459
Uninsured 18–648.9%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2864.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459
No HS diploma (25+)4.2%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5056.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463
Bachelor's or higher (25+)75.8%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50537.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463
Unemployment rate (16+)0.2%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457
Households without a vehicle4.5%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457
Broadband subscription93.1%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)4.2%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32227.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457
Homeownership rate93.2%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32282.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457
Crowded housing (>1 per room)4.5%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457
Foreign-born population19.2%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5536.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464
Single-parent households51.0%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08750.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450
Population 65+9.4%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55318.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464
Median age38.8 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460
Median household income$250,001$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419
Median home value$996,400$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 birth81.4 yr ± 1.1078.9 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 1.10 years of 81.4, 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