21224 leans heavily Democratic by roughly 40 points: about 70% of voters vote Democratic and 30% Republican.
About 61% of adults in 21224 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21224, ~42% vote Democratic, ~18% Republican, and ~40% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21224 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21224 leans more Democratic than 35 of 63 neighbors.
21224 runs about 11 points more Democratic than Maryland as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 21224. The northwest side runs the most Democratic (D+70) and the northeast side runs the most Republican (R+3), a spread of about 73 points.
Why 21224 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 21224, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 98% of residents in 21224 live in densely developed areas, about 61 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 21224 sits in the top quarter (about 43%, above 84% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 47% of adults in 21224 have never been married, above 93% of zip codes.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 21224, 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 21224 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 21224 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 42% of households in 21224 rent, compared to around 58% in nearby zip codes. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 21% of adults in 21224 report food insecurity, above 83% 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.