21543 is a Republican stronghold. About 24% of voters here vote Democratic and 76% Republican.
About 77% of adults in 21543 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21543, ~19% vote Democratic, ~58% Republican, and ~23% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21543 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21543 leans more Republican than 3 of 24 neighbors.
21543 runs about 80 points more Republican than Maryland as a whole. Maryland leans Democratic overall, while 21543 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 21543. The northwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+58) and the east side is the least Republican-leaning (R+48), a spread of about 10 points.
Why 21543 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 21543, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
21543 votes against the grain of Maryland. Maryland leans Democratic overall, while 21543 runs about 80 points more Republican. Car-dependent areas vote Republican, and about 84% of residents in 21543 drive to work alone, above 86% of zip codes.
Renting and voter turnout
Places with homeowner-heavy households tend to turn out at a higher rate; 21543, MD sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 21543 looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 94% of households in 21543 own their home, about 17 points above the Maryland average of 77%. 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.