17217 is a Republican stronghold. About 12% of voters here vote Democratic and 88% Republican.
About 74% of adults in 17217 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 17217, ~9% vote Democratic, ~65% Republican, and ~26% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 17217 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 17217 is the most Republican-leaning.
17217 runs about 74 points more Republican than Pennsylvania as a whole.
Why 17217 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 17217, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with a high white share and below-average college attainment vote Republican. In 17217, about 98% of residents are non-Hispanic white, about 26 points above the U.S. average of 72%; about 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, about 15 points below the Pennsylvania average of 26%. A high family-household share predicts Republican voting, and about 75% of households in 17217 are family households, above 80% of zip codes.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 17217, PA sits in the bottom 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 17217 looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 96% of households in 17217 own their home, about 17 points above the Pennsylvania average of 79%. 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.