21222 leans slightly Republican by roughly 6 points: about 47% of voters vote Democratic and 53% Republican.
About 57% of adults in 21222 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21222, ~27% vote Democratic, ~30% Republican, and ~43% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21222 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21222 leans more Republican than 52 of 60 neighbors.
21222 runs about 35 points more Republican than Maryland as a whole. Maryland leans Democratic overall, while 21222 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 21222. The south side runs the most Democratic (D+15) and the northeast side runs the most Republican (R+19), a spread of about 34 points.
Why 21222 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 21222, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
21222 votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 91%, far above the Maryland average of 43%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 21222 sits in the bottom quarter (about 15%, below 81% of zip codes). 21222 runs against the grain of Maryland, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
High-school completion, developed land, and voter turnout
Places that combine low high-school-completion share and a heavily developed built environment tend to turn out at a lower rate, as 21222, MD does.
Why turnout in 21222 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 21222 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 34% of households in 21222 rent, above 81% of zip codes. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 24% of adults in 21222 report food insecurity, above 87% 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.