ZIP code
21817
in Crisfield, MarylandPopulation 4,417
45.72/ 100
Ranked #21,631 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 33%)
Ranked #419 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 8.6%)
Ranked #19 of 24 Salisbury, MD ZIPs (bottom 21%)
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.
Floodplain exposure
91%
in the top 0.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Grocery access
0.21 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets 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. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›Pharmacy access
0.41 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies located 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 ›Distance to an emergency room
16.9 mi
in the top 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Civic-institution access
0.62 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of civic and social organizations 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 ›Outer-floodplain exposure
3.2%
in the top 10.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Slow internet speeds
1.0%
in the top 11.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
11.6 mi
in the top 11.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
44.8%
in the top 13.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
12.5 mi
in the top 15% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS85thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite health measure, Crisfield, Maryland (ZIP 21817) ranks in the bottom 33% nationally (21,631st) and the bottom 8.6% of Maryland (419th).
Where the load on this area runs deepest, the data leads: floodplain exposure sits in the top 0.6% nationally, and distance to an emergency room is in the top 8.4% nationally. Fiber broadband settles at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Outer-floodplain exposure resides in the top 10.5% nationally, and slow internet speeds registers in the top 11.1% nationally. More encouragingly, grocery rests in the top 6.9% nationally, pharmacy stands in the top 7.6% nationally, and civic lies in the top 9.2% nationally. Modeled extreme heat lands at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled loud transportation noise sits at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". Close by, ZIP 21838, just across the boundary, ranks healthier 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 Salisbury, MD metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 96%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 74%
13%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 20%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 20%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 34%
11%
Disability
healthier than 35%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 95%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 9%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 8%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 39%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 27%
8%
Disability
healthier than 10%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 2%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 4%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 61%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 43%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 43%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 26%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 17%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 17%
11%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 26%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
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 96.0 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 20.4 — 76 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #728 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
21838
Marylandshares a border
Score 51.99
Closest healthier
21851
Marylandabout 7.7 mi away
Score 49.13
Similar health profile
21626
Maryland98% similar profile
Score 45.21
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 | 34.7% | 31.4–38.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.8% | 40.9–49.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.3% | 9.4–11.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.5% | 10.2–12.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.8–9.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.6% | 8.6–10.8 |
| Depression among adults | 21.9% | 18.8–25.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.9% | 13.1–16.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.0% | 38.0–46.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.0% | 29.9–42.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.7% | 4.3–5.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.8% | 12.2–17.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.1% | 7.6–10.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.0% | 77.3–82.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.5% | 78.5–84.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.4% | 88.0–90.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.4% | 62.7–72.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.3% | 53.8–60.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.9% | 72.6–84.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.9% | 11.4–16.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.8% | 13.8–18.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.2% | 26.2–34.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 40.1% | 34.5–46.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.3% | 19.7–25.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.7% | 15.0–18.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.6% | 13.9–17.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.8% | 13.2–16.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.5% | 29.6–37.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.4–9.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.8% | 15.7–20.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.4% | 21.1–28.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.1% | 14.4–19.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 15.5% | 13.2–18.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.6% | 11.6–15.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.7% | 7.5–9.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.3% | 27.5–37.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.9–10.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 25.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 82.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 32.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 59.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 25.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 42.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $55,720 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $161,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $766 | $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 | 75.3 yr ± 1.18 | 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 1.18 years of 75.3, 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