08502 leans Democratic by roughly 26 points: about 63% of voters vote Democratic and 37% Republican.
About 83% of adults in 08502 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 08502, ~52% vote Democratic, ~31% Republican, and ~17% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 08502 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 08502 leans more Democratic than 35 of 51 neighbors.
08502 runs about 20 points more Democratic than New Jersey as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 08502. The north side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+36) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+12), a spread of about 24 points.
Why 08502 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 08502, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 78% of adults in 08502 hold a bachelor's degree, about 50 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting, and non-Hispanic white share in 08502 is about 41%, compared to around 56% in nearby zip codes.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 08502, NJ sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 08502 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 08502 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 75%, about 15 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 99% of adults in 08502 have completed high school, above 98% 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 New Jersey Division 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.