17538 leans slightly Republican by roughly 6 points: about 47% of voters vote Democratic and 53% Republican.
About 92% of adults in 17538 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 17538, ~43% vote Democratic, ~49% Republican, and ~8% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 17538 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 17538 leans more Republican than 4 of 36 neighbors.
Politically, 17538 sits close to the rest of Pennsylvania.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 17538. The southwest side is the most split-leaning (R+14) and the southeast side is the least split-leaning (Even), a spread of about 13 points.
Why 17538 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 17538, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
17538 votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 79%, far above the Pennsylvania average of 33%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; 17538, PA sits in the top tenth 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 17538 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 17538 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 72%, about 12 points above the U.S. average of 60%. 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.