15243 leans Democratic by roughly 24 points: about 62% of voters vote Democratic and 38% Republican.
About 96% of adults in 15243 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 15243, ~59% vote Democratic, ~36% Republican, and ~5% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 15243 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 15243 leans more Democratic than 61 of 92 neighbors.
15243 runs about 25 points more Democratic than Pennsylvania as a whole. Pennsylvania is roughly evenly split, and 15243 sits clearly on the Democratic side.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 15243. The northeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+38) and the northwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+7), a spread of about 31 points.
Why 15243 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 15243, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 95% of residents in 15243 live in densely developed areas, about 59 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 15243 sits in the top quarter (about 61%, above 94% of zip codes). 15243 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; 15243, PA sits in the top quarter 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 15243 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 15243 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 96% of adults in 15243 have completed high school, above 85% 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.