ZIP code
21755
in Jefferson, MarylandPopulation 5,909
61.17/ 100
Ranked #4,022 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 12.6%)
Ranked #168 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 37%)
Ranked #173 of 308 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ZIPs (bottom 44%)
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.
Median household income
$137,417
in the top 5.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST73rdUS94thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Child-care access
0.71 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
1.7%
in the bottom 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST20thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
6.0%
in the bottom 9.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST29thUS9thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Overall, Jefferson, Maryland (ZIP 21755) lands in the top 12.6% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,022nd) and the top 37% of Maryland (168th).
The measures that set this area apart are worth putting up front: household income stands in the top 5.6% nationally, and childcare lies in the top 5.0% nationally. Modeled energy burden lands in the bottom 7.6% nationally, and transportation sits in the bottom 11.1% nationally. Modeled independent living disability is in the bottom 9.2% nationally, cognitive disability settles in the bottom 11.4% nationally, and food insecurity resides in the bottom 13.5% nationally. Modeled mobility disability registers in the bottom 12.5% nationally, and housing-cost burden rests in the bottom 16% nationally. Set against that, fiber broadband stands at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs.
Set beside the nearby areas, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 20176, just across the boundary, 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area.
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 64%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 90%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 74%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 80%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 73%
8%
Disability
healthier than 87%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 58%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 57%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 75%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 66%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 72%
11%
Disability
healthier than 64%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 49%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 48%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 59%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 56%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 79%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 56%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 55%
11%
Disability
healthier than 51%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 28%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 32%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 37%
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
20176
Virginiashares a border
Score 68.01
Closest healthier
20180
Virginiashares a border
Score 65.25
Similar health profile
21286
Maryland98% similar profile
Score 62.84
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 | 29.1% | 26.8–31.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.6% | 33.9–39.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.1% | 9.3–11.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.7% | 8.7–10.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.4–7.1 |
| Depression among adults | 21.7% | 19.3–24.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.3% | 10.0–12.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.0% | 39.2–44.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.1% | 31.2–38.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.1% | 2.9–3.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.4% | 6.9–10.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.5% | 5.4–7.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.1% | 75.6–80.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.6% | 77.1–81.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.6% | 89.3–91.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.1% | 67.9–74.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.5% | 67.1–72.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.0% | 67.7–78.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.2% | 13.1–17.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.0% | 8.4–11.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.1% | 17.5–22.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.1% | 30.9–37.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.2% | 13.3–17.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.1% | 13.5–16.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.4% | 10.1–12.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.2% | 9.8–12.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 24.1% | 21.4–26.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.6% | 5.8–7.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.3–6.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.3–12.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.9% | 2.6–3.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.2–4.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.2% | 18.6–24.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.1% | 7.6–11.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.9% | 5.6–8.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.4% | 7.1–10.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.3% | 4.6–6.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.6% | 27.4–34.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.6% | 4.8–6.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 46.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 95.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 13.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 7.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 64.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 19.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 43.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $137,417 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $529,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,265 | $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 | 80.2 yr ± 1.13 | 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 1.13 years of 80.2, 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