21216 is a Democratic stronghold. About 94% of voters here vote Democratic and 6% Republican.
About 59% of adults in 21216 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21216, ~55% vote Democratic, ~4% Republican, and ~41% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21216 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21216 is the most Democratic-leaning.
21216 runs about 58 points more Democratic than Maryland as a whole.
Why 21216 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 21216, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 96% of residents in 21216 live in densely developed areas, about 60 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 55% of adults in 21216 have never been married, above 97% of zip codes.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 21216, MD sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 21216 looks the way it does
Areas with high food insecurity turn out at lower rates. About 38% of adults in 21216 report food insecurity, about 22 points above the U.S. average of 16%. Limited routine healthcare access lines up with lower turnout, and 21216 sits in the bottom quarter on routine-care measures. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 46% of households in 21216 rent, about 21 points above the U.S. average of 25%. 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.