ZIP code
21856
in Quantico, MarylandPopulation 1,037
56.52/ 100
Ranked #7,736 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 24%)
Ranked #261 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 43%)
Ranked #3 of 24 Salisbury, MD ZIPs (top 12.5%)
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.
Fatal road crashes
48.2 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
13.8%
in the top 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Recreation access
1.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
44.4%
in the top 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Park land
14.7%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
3.8%
in the top 9.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
31.1%
in the top 9.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS91stDefinition & 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 ›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
On balance, and by the composite measure, Quantico, Maryland (ZIP 21856) ranks in the top 24% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,736th) and the bottom 43% of Maryland (261st).
A number of signals point in a favorable direction for this area: recreation registers in the top 6.7% nationally. Households without a vehicle sits at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Park land rests in the top 9.0% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise is at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Modeled transportation noise stands in the bottom 12.4% nationally. Working the other way, fatal road crashes settles in the top 4.4% nationally, unemployment lies in the top 4.6% nationally, and modeled high cholesterol resides in the top 5.8% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure lands in the top 9.3% nationally, and floodplain exposure registers in the top 9.5% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 21810, about 3.0 miles away.
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 97%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 93%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 82%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 84%
8%
Disability
healthier than 69%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 56%
16%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 34%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 21%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 96%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 81%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 64%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 65%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Disability
healthier than 36%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 25%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 74%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 83%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 83%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 83%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 91%
8%
Disability
healthier than 70%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 52%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 39%
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 96.9 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 33.7 — 63 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,505 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
21801
Marylandshares a border
Score 51.63
Closest healthier
21810
Marylandabout 3.0 mi away
Score 59.18
Similar health profile
23395
Virginia98% similar profile
Score 55.84
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 | 32.9% | 30.2–35.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.3% | 38.2–44.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.3–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.2–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.7% | 6.5–9.0 |
| Depression among adults | 19.9% | 17.5–22.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.8% | 12.2–15.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 44.4% | 41.3–47.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.7% | 34.4–43.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.7–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.6% | 8.8–12.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.3% | 5.9–8.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 82.8% | 80.4–85.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.3% | 80.9–85.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 91.5% | 90.1–92.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.0% | 67.5–74.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.1% | 61.1–66.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.7% | 74.5–84.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.7% | 11.7–16.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.7% | 10.6–15.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.1% | 22.8–29.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.2% | 28.5–35.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.3% | 16.7–22.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.7% | 13.1–16.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.3% | 11.6–15.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.0% | 10.5–13.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.6% | 24.4–31.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.4–8.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.3–8.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.4% | 12.5–16.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.3–4.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.0–5.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.7% | 19.5–25.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.6% | 9.5–13.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.5% | 7.6–11.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.6% | 8.0–11.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 5.4–7.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.4% | 27.6–34.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.5% | 5.5–7.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 14.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 13.8% | 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 | 84.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 12.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.6% | 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 | 9.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 38.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 17.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 42.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $88,045 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $380,600 | $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