ZIP code
21840
in Nanticoke, MarylandPopulation 576
54.03/ 100
Ranked #10,666 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 33%)
Ranked #322 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 30%)
Ranked #9 of 24 Salisbury, MD ZIPs (top 38%)
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.
High cholesterol
49.1%
in the top 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
19.8%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
76.6%
in the top 1.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
50.5%
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Transportation noise
0.01%
in the bottom 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
12.0%
in the bottom 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS7thDefinition & 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 hazardous-chemical facility
14.5 mi
in the top 8.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›The read
Nanticoke, Maryland (ZIP 21840), in overall standing, comes out in the top 33% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,666th) and the bottom 30% of Maryland (322nd).
A few readings each way define this mixed profile: housing-cost burden rests at the national minimum, poverty settles at the national minimum, and home broadband subscription lands at the national maximum. Modeled colon screening rests in the top 1.3% nationally, and transportation noise settles in the bottom 5.4% nationally. Households without a vehicle lands at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled binge drinking rests in the bottom 6.8% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled high cholesterol settles in the top 0.5% nationally, and unemployment lands in the top 2.1% nationally. Floodplain exposure rests in the top 3.9% nationally.
Set within its surrounding area, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, for reference, floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 21814, 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. 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 63%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 97%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 98%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 93%
8%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 14%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 96%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 96%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 72%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 83%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 3%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 37%
16%
Disability
healthier than 21%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 2%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 91%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 78%
14%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.00%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 96%
11%
Mental Health
in the top 0.00%
8%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 57%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 4%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 39%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 9%
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
21814
Marylandshares a border
Score 54.03
Closest healthier
21865
Marylandshares a border
Score 54.55
Similar health profile
21671
Maryland98% similar profile
Score 55.65
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 | 39.5% | 36.4–42.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 46.4% | 43.0–49.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 13.1% | 12.0–14.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.2% | 8.1–10.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.3% | 7.8–10.9 |
| Depression among adults | 18.8% | 16.5–21.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.5% | 13.6–17.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 49.1% | 45.9–52.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.4% | 34.1–42.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.9% | 4.3–5.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.1% | 12.6–17.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.6% | 5.2–8.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 85.6% | 83.4–87.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 85.6% | 83.7–87.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 93.4% | 92.4–94.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 76.6% | 73.3–79.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 61.6% | 58.6–64.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.2% | 75.3–84.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.0% | 10.3–14.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.6% | 10.4–15.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.7% | 23.6–31.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.6% | 27.9–35.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.5% | 17.5–23.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 13.1% | 11.6–14.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.5% | 12.7–16.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.2% | 9.6–12.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.9% | 26.2–33.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.5–9.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.4–9.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.2% | 14.7–20.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.6–4.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.2–5.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.3% | 18.5–24.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 8.5–12.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 6.9–10.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.8–9.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.6% | 4.8–6.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.6% | 26.0–33.2 |
| 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 | 0.0% | 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+) | 0.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 17.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 19.8% | 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 | 100.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 0.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 68.2% | 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 | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 58.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 27.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 41.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | — | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $9,999 | $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 | 78.6 yr ± 1.78 | 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 1.78 years of 78.6, 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