21626 is a Republican stronghold. About 20% of voters here vote Democratic and 80% Republican.
About 84% of adults in 21626 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21626, ~17% vote Democratic, ~67% Republican, and ~16% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21626 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21626 leans more Republican than 8 of 11 neighbors.
21626 runs about 88 points more Republican than Maryland as a whole. Maryland leans Democratic overall, while 21626 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 21626 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 21626, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Rural areas vote Republican. About 2% of residents in 21626 live in densely developed areas, about 42 points below the Maryland average of 43%. 21626 runs against the grain of Maryland, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
Population density and Republican lean
Places with low population density tend to lean Republican; 21626, MD sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 21626 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 21626 is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 59%, below 63% of zip codes. Homeowners vote more often than renters, and about 93% of households in 21626 own their home, about 18 points above the U.S. average of 75%. 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.