21850 leans heavily Republican by roughly 40 points: about 30% of voters vote Democratic and 70% Republican.
About 79% of adults in 21850 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21850, ~24% vote Democratic, ~55% Republican, and ~21% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21850 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21850 leans more Republican than 14 of 15 neighbors.
21850 runs about 68 points more Republican than Maryland as a whole. Maryland leans Democratic overall, while 21850 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 21850 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 21850, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
21850 votes against the grain of Maryland. Maryland leans Democratic overall, while 21850 runs about 68 points more Republican. Car-dependent areas vote Republican, and about 84% of residents in 21850 drive to work alone, above 83% of zip codes. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 21850 sits in the bottom quarter (about 15%, below 82% of zip codes).
Cancer-screening access and voter turnout
Places with high colon-cancer-screening access tend to turn out at a higher rate; 21850, MD sits above the national average on this measure. Cancer screening does not drive turnout; it reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access.
Why turnout in 21850 looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 91% of households in 21850 own their home, about 14 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.