ZIP code
21841
in Newark, MarylandPopulation 793
54.54/ 100
Ranked #10,007 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 31%)
Ranked #307 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 33%)
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.
Housing-cost burden
58.2%
in the top 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
63.8%
in the bottom 3.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS4thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
3.5%
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
18.8%
in the top 12.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS87thDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›The read
Newark, Maryland (ZIP 21841), by its overall standing, sits in the top 31% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,007th) and the bottom 33% of Maryland (307th).
The profile opens balanced, with readings on either hand: modeled mammography stands in the top 10.1% nationally, and tooth loss lands in the bottom 10.6% nationally. Crowded housing is at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep resides in the bottom 16% nationally, and expected annual loss rests in the bottom 15% nationally. By contrast, housing-cost burden lies in the top 1.4% nationally, and home broadband subscription sits in the bottom 3.8% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure settles in the top 9.7% nationally, and modeled binge drinking registers in the top 12.7% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility stands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
Held up against its neighbors, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 21811, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 95%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 83%
13%
Disability
healthier than 69%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 56%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 54%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 51%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 32%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 55%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 39%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 14%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 26%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 19%
8%
Disability
healthier than 35%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 24%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 36%
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
21811
Marylandshares a border
Score 60.49
Closest healthier
21872
Marylandabout 6.2 mi away
Score 58.16
Similar health profile
22538
Virginia93% similar profile
Score 55.18
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 | 30.1% | 27.3–33.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.5% | 35.2–41.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.8% | 8.0–9.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.6–12.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.6% | 5.9–7.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.5% | 6.4–8.7 |
| Depression among adults | 22.8% | 19.9–25.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.7% | 11.2–14.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.0% | 35.6–42.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.9% | 31.1–41.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.2–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 7.5% | 6.1–9.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.1% | 5.6–8.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.5% | 74.7–80.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.5% | 77.5–83.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.4% | 87.8–90.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.7% | 65.5–73.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.3% | 61.2–67.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.2% | 74.6–85.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.8% | 15.9–21.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.9% | 12.3–17.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.4% | 21.7–29.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.2% | 27.1–35.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.6% | 16.0–21.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.0–19.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.0% | 12.2–15.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.7–15.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.7% | 24.2–31.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.6–8.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.6% | 11.7–15.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.3–4.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.0–5.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.3% | 18.3–24.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 10.9–16.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.4% | 9.2–14.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 9.8–14.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.2–8.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.5% | 27.6–35.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.6–9.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.5% | 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+) | 22.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 63.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 58.2% | 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 | 58.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 19.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 45.4 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 | $343,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,689 | $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 | 78.1 yr ± 1.22 | 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 1.22 years of 78.1, 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