ZIP code
21871
in Westover, MarylandPopulation 1,764
45.36/ 100
Ranked #22,032 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 31%)
Ranked #422 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 7.9%)
Ranked #20 of 24 Salisbury, MD ZIPs (bottom 17%)
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
56.7 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
50%
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Home broadband subscription
73.7%
in the bottom 8.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST5thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
3.5%
in the top 9.8% 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 ›High blood pressure
46%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Mammography
80.7%
in the top 7.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST65thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
14.7 mi
in the top 11.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Stroke
5.0%
in the top 14.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS86thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$50,524
in the bottom 14.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST3rdUS15thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
15.8%
in the top 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS82ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, ZIP 21871, one of several in Westover, Maryland lands in the bottom 31% nationally (22,032nd) and the bottom 7.9% of Maryland (422nd).
The measures split the difference for this area: modeled mammography lands in the top 7.8% nationally, and park land registers in the top 12.4% nationally. Crowded housing sits at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Against that, fatal road crashes rests in the top 2.8% nationally, floodplain exposure is in the top 4.0% nationally, and home broadband subscription stands in the bottom 8.7% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure settles in the top 9.8% nationally, modeled high blood pressure lies in the top 9.8% nationally, and distance to an emergency room resides in the top 11.7% nationally. Modeled high cholesterol lands in the top 10.6% nationally.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 21838, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 96%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 83%
13%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 16%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 30%
11%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 95%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 54%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 5%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 5%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 9%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 27%
8%
Disability
healthier than 7%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 61%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 65%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 57%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 48%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 9%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 4%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 13%
11%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 35%
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 95.7 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 15.7 — 80 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #497 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
Marylandshares a border
Score 49.13
Similar health profile
35441
Alabama96% similar profile
Score 44.90
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 | 35.5% | 32.2–39.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 46.0% | 42.1–50.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.9% | 9.0–10.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.4–13.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.9% | 8.0–9.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.6 |
| Depression among adults | 21.6% | 18.7–24.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.8% | 14.0–17.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.0% | 39.0–47.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.3% | 30.3–42.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.1% | 13.4–19.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.8% | 8.2–11.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.4% | 77.7–82.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.2% | 78.0–84.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.2% | 87.7–90.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.6% | 66.0–74.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.2% | 56.7–63.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.7% | 74.8–86.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.8% | 11.3–16.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.2% | 14.8–19.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.5% | 27.5–36.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.1% | 33.6–45.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.8% | 20.9–27.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.1–18.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.3% | 14.5–18.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.4% | 13.7–17.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.6% | 30.8–38.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.3–9.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.7–11.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.9% | 16.6–21.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.2% | 4.6–5.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.5–6.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.3% | 22.5–30.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.9% | 15.3–20.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 15.6% | 13.3–18.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.9% | 11.9–15.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.7–10.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.3% | 28.4–38.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.7–10.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 18.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 73.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.5% | 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 | 1.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 65.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 40.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 60.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $50,524 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $185,900 | $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 | 74.4 yr ± 1.75 | 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 1.75 years of 74.4, 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