21205 is a Democratic stronghold. About 79% of voters here vote Democratic and 21% Republican.
About 46% of adults in 21205 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21205, ~36% vote Democratic, ~10% Republican, and ~54% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21205 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21205 leans more Democratic than 43 of 64 neighbors.
21205 runs about 30 points more Democratic than Maryland as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 21205. The north side runs the most Democratic (D+88) and the northeast side runs the most Republican (R+6), a spread of about 93 points.
Why 21205 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 21205, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 98% of residents in 21205 live in densely developed areas, about 61 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 53% of adults in 21205 have never been married, above 96% of zip codes.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 21205, MD sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 21205 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 21205 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 43%, about 21 points below the Maryland average of 64%. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 60% of households in 21205 rent, about 35 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 40% of adults in 21205 report food insecurity, above 98% 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.