15218 is a Democratic stronghold. About 82% of voters here vote Democratic and 18% Republican.
About 80% of adults in 15218 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 15218, ~66% vote Democratic, ~14% Republican, and ~20% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 15218 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 15218 leans more Democratic than 97 of 105 neighbors.
15218 runs about 65 points more Democratic than Pennsylvania as a whole. Pennsylvania is roughly evenly split, and 15218 sits clearly on the Democratic side.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 15218. The northwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+72) and the southwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+47), a spread of about 26 points.
Why 15218 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 15218, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 95% of residents in 15218 live in densely developed areas, about 58 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 15218 sits in the top quarter (about 53%, above 91% of zip codes). 15218 runs against the grain of Pennsylvania, a Democratic-leaning outlier in a roughly evenly split state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 15218, PA sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 15218 looks the way it does
Areas with high high-school completion turn out at higher rates. About 98% of adults in 15218 have completed high school, about 7 points above the Pennsylvania average of 91%. 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.