ZIP code
21890
in Westover, MarylandPopulation 3,289
49.85/ 100
Ranked #16,445 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 49%)
Ranked #394 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 14.0%)
Ranked #18 of 24 Salisbury, MD ZIPs (bottom 25%)
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.
Short sleep
49.9%
in the top 0.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Fiber broadband
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
27.7%
in the bottom 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
0 per 100,000 residents per year
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Transportation noise
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Colon-cancer screening
54%
in the bottom 4.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
21.1%
in the top 3.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Hearing disability
3.9%
in the bottom 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 3.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS3rdDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›The read
Overall, ZIP 21890, one of several in Westover, Maryland lands in the bottom 49% nationally (16,445th) and the bottom 14.0% of Maryland (394th).
A number of measures mark where this area is under strain: modeled short sleep sits in the top 0.4% nationally, and colon screening is in the bottom 4.1% nationally. Modeled binge drinking settles in the top 3.1% nationally. On the brighter side, fiber broadband resides at the national maximum, modeled high cholesterol registers in the bottom 1.9% nationally, and fatal road crashes rests at the national minimum. Modeled transportation noise stands at the national minimum, hearing disability lies in the bottom 1.9% nationally, and expected annual loss lands in the bottom 3.1% nationally. Floodplain exposure sits at the national minimum.
Set beside the nearby areas, walkability runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 21838, about 5.5 miles away, ranks better overall.
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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 94%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 82%
8%
Disability
healthier than 75%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 73%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 3%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 4%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 0.8%
11%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 95%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 61%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 90%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 44%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 1%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 1%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 0.00%
11%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
in the top 0.00%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 78%
8%
Disability
healthier than 96%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the top 0.00%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 52%
14%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
in the bottom 0.00%
16%
Preventive Care
in the bottom 0.00%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 0.00%
11%
“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
21853
Marylandshares a border
Score 43.39
Closest healthier
21838
Marylandabout 5.5 mi away
Score 51.99
Similar health profile
21746
Maryland99% similar profile
Score 48.25
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 | 14.9% | 12.8–17.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.9% | 32.6–41.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 2.7% | 2.4–3.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.2% | 7.9–10.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.0% | 3.4–4.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.7% | 3.8–5.7 |
| Depression among adults | 15.5% | 13.0–18.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.7% | 8.2–11.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 27.7% | 24.2–31.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.1% | 34.4–47.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.5% | 2.2–3.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.7% | 10.3–15.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 15.1% | 10.9–20.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 58.0% | 53.9–62.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 71.8% | 67.4–76.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 79.6% | 75.5–83.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 54.0% | 48.8–59.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 47.2% | 43.6–50.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.4% | 72.5–85.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 21.1% | 17.6–25.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.4% | 15.3–24.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.6% | 22.0–33.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 49.9% | 44.0–56.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.7% | 17.1–26.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.2% | 15.5–21.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.4% | 9.5–13.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.9% | 13.5–20.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.6% | 23.2–34.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.3–4.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.0–9.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 9.1% | 7.4–11.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.1–4.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.2% | 4.2–6.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 37.9% | 32.0–44.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 26.9% | 19.6–34.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 22.0% | 15.7–28.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 24.9% | 19.4–30.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 14.0% | 10.8–17.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 38.6% | 32.6–45.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 16.0% | 12.8–19.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | — | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | — | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 29.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 2.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | — | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | — | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | — | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | — | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | — | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | — | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | — | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 2.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 35.8 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 | — | $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 | 74.2 yr ± 1.95 | 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 1.95 years of 74.2, 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