ZIP code
21920
in Elk Mills, MarylandPopulation 1,413
54.09/ 100
Ranked #10,573 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 33%)
Ranked #319 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 30%)
Ranked #251 of 361 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ZIPs (bottom 30%)
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.
Elder-services access
1.8 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
61.3%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS8thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
8.5%
in the bottom 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$124,146
in the top 8.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST65thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
51.4%
in the top 21% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS79thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
0.27%
in the top 32% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS68thDefinition & source ›
The share of days in the year when modeled fine-particle (PM2.5) pollution was above the EPA’s daily limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
Full methodology ›The read
Elk Mills, Maryland (ZIP 21920), in overall standing, comes out in the top 33% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,573rd) and the bottom 30% of Maryland (319th).
A balanced showing across the data, with a few readings each side: elder services lands in the top 0.2% nationally. Unemployment rests at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled disaster risk settles in the bottom 7.6% nationally, and household income lands in the top 8.4% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss rests in the bottom 10.7% nationally, and park land settles in the top 14.0% nationally. Crowded housing lands at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Modeled transportation rests in the bottom 15% nationally. On the other hand, modeled pfas settles in the top 7.5% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site lands in the bottom 13.3% nationally.
Set within its surrounding area, elder services runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, for reference, 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. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 19711, about 1.7 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area.
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 74%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 61%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 66%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 43%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 55%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 80%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 51%
8%
Disability
healthier than 41%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 26%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 12%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 25%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 28%
11%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 79%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 53%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 57%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 44%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 10%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 35%
14%
Disability
healthier than 38%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 22%
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
21921
Marylandshares a border
Score 49.58
Closest healthier
19711
Delawareabout 1.7 mi away
Score 59.36
Similar health profile
62501
Illinois97% similar profile
Score 53.45
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 | 31.3% | 28.3–34.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.2% | 37.5–44.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.7% | 9.7–11.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.6% | 8.4–10.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.4% | 6.4–8.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.7% | 6.2–9.3 |
| Depression among adults | 21.1% | 18.3–23.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.3% | 11.5–15.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.2% | 38.8–45.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.5% | 34.5–44.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.1–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.4% | 7.7–11.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.3% | 5.3–9.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.3% | 76.6–81.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.9% | 75.0–80.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.9% | 88.0–91.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.6% | 62.5–70.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.6% | 60.6–66.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.8% | 66.5–78.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.1% | 12.9–17.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.5% | 11.1–17.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.0% | 21.3–30.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.9% | 32.7–41.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.2% | 14.7–21.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.2% | 13.0–17.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.7% | 11.4–15.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.3% | 10.2–14.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.3% | 24.8–33.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.8% | 6.8–8.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.8% | 5.5–8.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.6% | 11.0–16.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.4% | 2.7–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.3–4.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.1% | 17.8–24.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 7.8–13.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.0% | 6.0–10.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.2–11.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.6% | 4.6–6.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.0% | 26.1–34.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.6% | 4.5–6.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 5.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 20.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 8.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 65.4% | 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 | 6.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 19.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 16.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 36.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $124,146 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $356,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $1,346 | $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 | 78.9 yr ± 1.81 | 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 1.81 years of 78.9, 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