08817 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 10 points: about 55% of voters vote Democratic and 45% Republican.
About 55% of adults in 08817 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 08817, ~30% vote Democratic, ~25% Republican, and ~45% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 08817 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 08817 leans more Democratic than 47 of 93 neighbors.
Politically, 08817 sits close to the rest of New Jersey.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 08817. The northwest side runs the most Democratic (D+23) and the west side runs the most Republican (R+9), a spread of about 33 points.
Why 08817 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 08817, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 97% of residents in 08817 live in densely developed areas, about 60 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 08817 sits in the top quarter (about 53%, above 91% of zip codes).
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 08817, NJ 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 08817 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 45% of households in 08817 rent, about 20 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Crowded housing lines up with lower turnout, and about 7% of homes in 08817 have more than one occupant per room, above 91% 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.