02171 leans Democratic by roughly 28 points: about 64% of voters vote Democratic and 36% Republican.
About 55% of adults in 02171 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 02171, ~35% vote Democratic, ~20% Republican, and ~45% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 02171 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 02171 leans more Democratic than 29 of 110 neighbors.
Politically, 02171 sits close to the rest of Massachusetts.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 02171. The west side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+34) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+15), a spread of about 19 points.
Why 02171 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 02171, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 54% of adults in 02171 hold a bachelor's degree, about 25 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting, and non-Hispanic white share in 02171 is about 55%, compared to around 36% in nearby zip codes. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 42% of adults in 02171 have never been married, above 89% of zip codes.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 02171, MA sits in the top quarter 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 02171 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 43% of households in 02171 rent, about 18 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Crowded housing lines up with lower turnout, and about 5% of homes in 02171 have more than one occupant per room, above 86% 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 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, 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.