21226 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 14 points: about 57% of voters vote Democratic and 43% Republican.
About 63% of adults in 21226 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21226, ~36% vote Democratic, ~27% Republican, and ~37% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21226 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21226 leans more Democratic than 16 of 64 neighbors.
21226 runs about 15 points more Republican than Maryland as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 21226. The north side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+28) and the south side is the least Democratic-leaning (Even), a spread of about 27 points.
Why 21226 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 21226, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 21226 is about 50%, about 23 points below the U.S. average of 72%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 21226 sits in the top quarter (about 35%, above 75% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 41% of adults in 21226 have never been married, above 88% of zip codes.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 21226, MD sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 21226 looks the way it does
Turnout in 21226 sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. 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.