17042 leans Republican by roughly 22 points: about 39% of voters vote Democratic and 61% Republican.
About 73% of adults in 17042 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 17042, ~28% vote Democratic, ~45% Republican, and ~27% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 17042 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 17042 leans more Republican than 6 of 24 neighbors.
17042 runs about 21 points more Republican than Pennsylvania as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 17042. The southwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+33) and the north side is the least Republican-leaning (R+5), a spread of about 27 points.
Why 17042 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 17042, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
17042 votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 65%, far above the Pennsylvania average of 33%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 17042, 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 17042 looks the way it does
Turnout in 17042 sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. 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.