17872 leans heavily Republican by roughly 32 points: about 34% of voters vote Democratic and 66% Republican.
About 58% of adults in 17872 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 17872, ~20% vote Democratic, ~38% Republican, and ~42% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 17872 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 17872 leans more Republican than 6 of 37 neighbors.
17872 runs about 30 points more Republican than Pennsylvania as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 17872. The southwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+50) and the north side is the least Republican-leaning (R+20), a spread of about 31 points.
Why 17872 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 17872, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
17872 votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 77%, far above the Pennsylvania average of 33%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 17872 sits in the bottom quarter (about 13%, below 87% of zip codes).
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; 17872, PA sits in the bottom quarter 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 17872 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 17872 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 35% of households in 17872 rent, compared to around 16% in nearby zip codes. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 83% of adults in 17872 have completed high school, below 87% 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.