21801 leans Democratic by roughly 26 points: about 63% of voters vote Democratic and 37% Republican.
About 72% of adults in 21801 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21801, ~45% vote Democratic, ~27% Republican, and ~28% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21801 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21801 is the most Democratic-leaning.
Politically, 21801 sits close to the rest of Maryland.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 21801. The north side runs the most Democratic (D+51) and the southwest side runs the most Republican (Even), a spread of about 53 points.
Why 21801 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 21801, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 21801 is about 49%, about 23 points below the U.S. average of 72%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 39% of adults in 21801 have never been married, above 86% of zip codes.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 21801, MD sits above the national average on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 21801 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 21801 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 55%, below 76% 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.