21824 is a Republican stronghold. About 22% of voters here vote Democratic and 78% Republican.
About 68% of adults in 21824 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21824, ~15% vote Democratic, ~53% Republican, and ~32% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21824 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21824 leans more Republican than 3 of 5 neighbors.
21824 runs about 85 points more Republican than Maryland as a whole. Maryland leans Democratic overall, while 21824 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 21824 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 21824, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with a high white share and below-average college attainment vote Republican. In 21824, about 97% of residents are non-Hispanic white, about 25 points above the U.S. average of 72%; about 5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, about 33 points below the Maryland average of 38%. Rural areas vote Republican, and 21824 sits in the bottom quarter on density (about 1%, below 98% of zip codes). 21824 runs against the grain of Maryland, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
Paved land cover and Republican lean
Places with little paved surface tend to lean Republican; 21824, MD sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 21824 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 21824 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 60%, below 61% 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.