ZIP code
21842
in Ocean City, MarylandPopulation 11,226
58.81/ 100
Ranked #5,731 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 18%)
Ranked #221 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (top 48%)
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.
Recreation access
1.8 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›Grocery access
0.36 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Lithium in drinking water
9.6 µg/L
in the bottom 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Pharmacy access
0.54 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
28.3%
in the bottom 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
39.8%
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
63.6%
in the top 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
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 ›Colon-cancer screening
73.4%
in the top 6.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST83rdUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Outpatient-care access
0.45 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics 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 ›Loneliness
29.1%
in the bottom 14.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS15thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Ocean City, Maryland (ZIP 21842) sits in the top 18% healthiest ZIPs nationally (5,731st) and the top 48% of Maryland (221st).
A balanced showing across the data, with a few readings each side: recreation resides in the top 2.1% nationally, grocery sits in the top 2.8% nationally, and lithium in drinking water stands in the bottom 4.3% nationally. Pharmacy resides in the top 4.3% nationally, modeled short sleep sits in the bottom 3.8% nationally, and modeled colon screening stands in the top 6.2% nationally. Outpatient resides in the top 9.6% nationally, and mental-health providers sits in the top 12.0% nationally. On the other hand, floodplain exposure stands in the top 6.3% nationally, and modeled pfas resides in the top 6.6% nationally.
Placed beside its immediate neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 19930, 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 88%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 85%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 94%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 82%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 83%
8%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 54%
5%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 17%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 71%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 88%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 84%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 66%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 62%
8%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 42%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 28%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 7%
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
19930
Delawareshares a border
Score 67.32
Closest healthier
19944
Delawareshares a border
Score 63.78
Similar health profile
23436
Virginia99% similar profile
Score 62.55
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 | 33.4% | 30.5–36.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.4% | 37.1–44.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.8% | 10.7–12.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.9% | 8.8–11.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.7% | 6.9–8.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.6% | 6.6–8.6 |
| Depression among adults | 20.9% | 18.1–23.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.8% | 11.3–14.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.3% | 38.8–45.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.2% | 27.6–37.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.5–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.4% | 6.9–10.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.6% | 5.6–7.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.8% | 78.2–83.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.5% | 79.9–85.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 91.2% | 90.0–92.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 73.4% | 69.6–76.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.7% | 63.7–69.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.4% | 73.6–84.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.2% | 14.6–20.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.9% | 10.2–13.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.8% | 20.7–27.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 28.3% | 24.5–32.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.0% | 14.9–19.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.2% | 12.7–15.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.4% | 11.9–15.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.3% | 10.0–12.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.5% | 24.4–31.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.9% | 7.1–8.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.9% | 6.0–7.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.9% | 12.1–15.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.4% | 3.0–3.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.7–4.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 18.6% | 16.0–21.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 8.1–11.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.5–9.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.0–9.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.5% | 4.8–6.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.1% | 25.3–33.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.4% | 4.6–6.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 40.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 95.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 34.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 9.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 62.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 27.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 53.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $79,876 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $447,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,394 | $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 unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
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