15217 is a Democratic stronghold. About 81% of voters here vote Democratic and 19% Republican.
About 82% of adults in 15217 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 15217, ~66% vote Democratic, ~16% Republican, and ~18% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 15217 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 15217 leans more Democratic than 93 of 104 neighbors.
15217 runs about 63 points more Democratic than Pennsylvania as a whole. Pennsylvania is roughly evenly split, and 15217 sits clearly on the Democratic side.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 15217. The northwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+69) and the southwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+52), a spread of about 17 points.
Why 15217 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 15217, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 77% of adults in 15217 hold a bachelor's degree, about 49 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Dense areas vote Democratic, and 15217 sits in the top fifth on density (more than 99%, above 95% of zip codes). 15217 runs against the grain of Pennsylvania, a Democratic-leaning outlier in a roughly evenly split state.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; 15217, PA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in 15217 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 15217 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 69%, about 9 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 98% of adults in 15217 have completed high school, above 94% 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 Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau 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.