20879 leans heavily Democratic by roughly 40 points: about 70% of voters vote Democratic and 30% Republican.
About 61% of adults in 20879 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 20879, ~42% vote Democratic, ~18% Republican, and ~40% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 20879 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 20879 leans more Democratic than 25 of 57 neighbors.
20879 runs about 11 points more Democratic than Maryland as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 20879. The northwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+51) and the east side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+34), a spread of about 17 points.
Why 20879 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 20879, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 89% of residents in 20879 live in densely developed areas, about 53 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 20879 sits in the top quarter (about 44%, above 85% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 35% of adults in 20879 have never been married, above 80% of zip codes.
Park access and Democratic lean
Places with heavy park coverage tend to lean Democratic; 20879, 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 20879 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 20879 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Crowded housing lines up with lower turnout, and about 4% of homes in 20879 have more than one occupant per room, above 82% of zip codes. 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.