21871 leans heavily Republican by roughly 32 points: about 34% of voters vote Democratic and 66% Republican.
About 62% of adults in 21871 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 21871, ~21% vote Democratic, ~41% Republican, and ~38% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 21871 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 21871 leans more Republican than 9 of 14 neighbors.
21871 runs about 61 points more Republican than Maryland as a whole. Maryland leans Democratic overall, while 21871 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 21871. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+38) and the northeast side is the least Republican-leaning (R+11), a spread of about 27 points.
Why 21871 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 21871, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Car-dependent areas vote Republican. About 91% of residents in 21871 drive to work alone, about 17 points above the U.S. average of 74%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 21871 sits in the bottom quarter (about 14%, below 86% of zip codes). 21871 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; 21871, MD sits below the national average 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 21871 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 21871 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 21% of adults in 21871 report food insecurity, above 82% 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.