27616 leans heavily Democratic by roughly 44 points: about 72% of voters vote Democratic and 28% Republican.
About 71% of adults in 27616 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 27616, ~51% vote Democratic, ~20% Republican, and ~29% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 27616 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 27616 leans more Democratic than 17 of 21 neighbors.
27616 runs about 48 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while 27616 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 27616. The southwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+56) and the southeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+23), a spread of about 33 points.
Why 27616 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 27616, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 27616 is about 32%, about 41 points below the U.S. average of 72%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 27616 sits in the top quarter (about 43%, above 84% of zip codes). 27616 runs against the grain of North Carolina, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 27616, NC sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 27616 looks the way it does
Turnout in 27616 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 North Carolina State Board 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.