21202 is a Democratic stronghold. About 89% of voters here vote Democratic and 11% Republican.
About 52% of adults in 21202 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21202, ~46% vote Democratic, ~6% Republican, and ~48% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21202 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21202 leans more Democratic than 58 of 67 neighbors.
21202 runs about 49 points more Democratic than Maryland as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 21202. The north side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+89) and the southeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+63), a spread of about 26 points.
Why 21202 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 21202, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. More than 99% of residents in 21202 live in densely developed areas, about 63 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 21202 sits in the top quarter (about 41%, above 82% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 66% of adults in 21202 have never been married, in the top fraction of zip codes.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 21202, MD sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 21202 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 78% of households in 21202 rent, about 53 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 29% of adults in 21202 report food insecurity, above 93% of zip codes. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and 21202 sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. 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.