21550 leans heavily Republican by roughly 48 points: about 26% of voters vote Democratic and 74% Republican.
About 77% of adults in 21550 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21550, ~20% vote Democratic, ~57% Republican, and ~23% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21550 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21550 leans more Republican than 2 of 10 neighbors.
21550 runs about 77 points more Republican than Maryland as a whole. Maryland leans Democratic overall, while 21550 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 21550. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+67) and the northwest side is the least Republican-leaning (R+37), a spread of about 30 points.
Why 21550 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 21550, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
21550 votes against the grain of Maryland. Maryland leans Democratic overall, while 21550 runs about 77 points more Republican.
Cancer-screening access and voter turnout
Places with high colon-cancer-screening access tend to turn out at a higher rate; 21550, MD sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Cancer screening does not drive turnout; it reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access.
Why turnout in 21550 looks the way it does
Turnout in 21550 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.