20851 leans heavily Democratic by roughly 44 points: about 72% of voters vote Democratic and 28% Republican.
About 67% of adults in 20851 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 20851, ~48% vote Democratic, ~19% Republican, and ~33% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 20851 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 20851 leans more Democratic than 33 of 107 neighbors.
20851 runs about 16 points more Democratic than Maryland as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 20851. The north side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+51) and the south side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+40), a spread of about 11 points.
Why 20851 leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per zip code to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for 20851, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 91% of residents in 20851 live in densely developed areas, about 55 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 20851 sits in the top quarter (about 47%, above 87% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 34% of adults in 20851 have never been married, above 78% of zip codes.
Park access and Democratic lean
Places with heavy park coverage tend to lean Democratic; 20851, MD sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in 20851 looks the way it does
Turnout in 20851 sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Zip Codes
Zip Codes with Similar Populations
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Maryland State Board of Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.