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ZipVitals

ZIP code

22718

in Elkwood, VirginiaPopulation 826

43.90/ 100

Ranked #23,506 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 27%)

Ranked #688 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (bottom 21%)

Ranked #305 of 308 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ZIPs (bottom 1.0%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Home broadband subscription

44.6%

in the bottom 1.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST2nd
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Loud transportation noise

2.4%

in the top 5.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a community health center

17.2 mi

in the top 10.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US90th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.

Full methodology ›

Crowded housing

5.2%

in the top 13.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US87th
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.

Full methodology ›

Mammography

71.7%

in the bottom 23% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST9th
US23rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Dry extreme heat

8.4 days/year

in the top 39% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US61st
Definition & source ›

The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.

Full methodology ›

The read

By its overall health score, Elkwood, Virginia (ZIP 22718) lands in the bottom 27% nationally (23,506th) and the bottom 21% of Virginia (688th).

continue reading

Neither strongly one way nor the other, the measures sit mixed: unemployment stands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Households without a vehicle settles at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled industrial-pollution burden lies in the bottom 13.1% nationally, and expected annual loss resides in the bottom 16% nationally. Against that, home broadband subscription lands in the bottom 1.1% nationally, and modeled loud transportation noise registers in the top 5.5% nationally. Fiber broadband sits at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Distance to a community health center rests in the top 10.2% nationally, crowded housing is in the top 13.0% nationally, and modeled high cholesterol stands in the top 12.6% nationally.

To translate a couple of terms, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. 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. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 22714, 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Nothing measured is lifting this score.

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 41%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 50%

13%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 21%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 30%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 40%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 37%

8%

Disability

healthier than 25%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 33%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 9%

5%

Nothing measured is lifting this score.

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 36%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 25%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 19%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 24%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 25%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 34%

8%

Disability

healthier than 29%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 18%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 8%

5%

Nothing measured is lifting this score.

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

in the bottom 0.7%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 7%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 30%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 22%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 7%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 9%

8%

Disability

healthier than 2%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 12%

5%

Healthcare Access

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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults33.3%29.6–37.1
High blood pressure among adults41.9%37.6–46.5
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.5%8.5–10.6
Current asthma among adults11.2%9.8–12.7
Coronary heart disease among adults8.5%7.4–9.7
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.7%8.0–11.6
Depression among adults24.1%20.4–27.9
Diagnosed diabetes among adults15.3%13.2–17.6
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened42.6%38.0–47.2
Obesity among adults40.5%32.5–48.8
Stroke among adults4.5%4.0–5.2
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years15.7%12.9–18.9
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years10.6%8.1–13.2
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure79.1%76.1–82.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults79.2%75.6–82.5
Cholesterol screening among adults87.1%84.8–89.1
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years67.1%62.0–72.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults65.5%62.0–68.8
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years71.7%63.7–78.7
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults14.2%11.5–17.2
Current cigarette smoking among adults17.4%14.0–21.0
No leisure-time physical activity among adults29.9%24.6–35.4
Short sleep duration among adults36.8%30.7–43.4
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults23.8%19.9–27.7
Frequent mental distress among adults17.6%15.4–20.1
Frequent physical distress among adults16.8%14.4–19.2
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults17.0%14.5–19.8
Any disability among adults36.6%31.5–41.8
Hearing disability among adults8.9%7.7–10.1
Independent living disability among adults10.3%8.6–12.0
Mobility disability among adults18.9%15.8–22.1
Self-care disability among adults5.0%4.2–5.9
Vision disability among adults6.4%5.5–7.4
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults21.5%17.8–25.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults15.4%12.2–19.4
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults13.8%10.7–17.4
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults11.9%9.6–14.4
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults8.5%7.1–10.1
Loneliness among adults32.6%27.4–38.2
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults8.0%6.6–9.5
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)VA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate13.2%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863
Uninsured 18–643.4%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2868.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861
No HS diploma (25+)20.6%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5059.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872
Bachelor's or higher (25+)18.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50526.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.2% (0.0–8.2%) n=860
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862
Broadband subscription44.6%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)24.2%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32223.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862
Homeownership rate69.7%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32278.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862
Crowded housing (>1 per room)5.2%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=862
Foreign-born population1.5%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5532.9% (0.0–17.0%) n=874
Single-parent households69.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08754.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855
Population 65+22.6%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874
Median age52.0 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29243.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864
Median household income$83,438$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804
Median home value$390,300$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$274,800 ($123,240–$642,380) n=789
Median gross rent$2,083$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,144 ($742–$2,191) n=615
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)VA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth79.6 yr ± 2.1578.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30877.6 yr (74.5–81.4) n=826

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 2.15 years of 79.6, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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