South Laurel is a Democratic stronghold. About 82% of voters here vote Democratic and 18% Republican.
About 54% of adults in South Laurel typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in South Laurel, ~44% vote Democratic, ~10% Republican, and ~46% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How South Laurel compares
Among cities within 25 miles, South Laurel leans more Democratic than 146 of 205 neighbors.
South Laurel runs about 36 points more Democratic than Maryland as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within South Laurel. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+68) and the southwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+50), a spread of about 18 points.
Why South Laurel leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per city to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for South Laurel, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 81% of residents in South Laurel live in densely developed areas, about 45 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and South Laurel sits in the top quarter (about 37%, above 85% of cities). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 39% of adults in South Laurel have never been married, above 93% of cities.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; South Laurel, MD sits in the top 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 South Laurel looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. South Laurel is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 61% of households in South Laurel rent, compared to around 37% in nearby cities. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 23% of adults in South Laurel report food insecurity, above 87% of cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Laurel, MD D+58
- Maryland City, MD D+55
- Beltsville, MD D+54
- Scaggsville, MD D+44
- Burtonsville, MD D+56
- Greenbelt, MD D+69
- Savage, MD D+56
- Annapolis Junction, MD D+44
- Patuxent, MD D+69
- Calverton, MD D+62
Cities with Similar Populations
- Ridgeland, MS D+11
- Phillipsburg, NJ R+5
- Camp Hill, PA D+10
- Medford, NY R+10
- Belton, MO R+22
- Vernon Hills, IL D+28
- Chatsworth, GA R+66
- Westmont, IL D+16
- Royse City, TX R+46
- El Macero, CA D+53
All Local Stats
Home Services
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.