28170 leans Democratic by roughly 16 points: about 58% of voters vote Democratic and 42% Republican.
About 71% of adults in 28170 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 28170, ~41% vote Democratic, ~30% Republican, and ~29% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 28170 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 28170 leans more Democratic than 5 of 7 neighbors.
28170 runs about 20 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while 28170 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 28170. The east side runs the most Democratic (D+33) and the northwest side runs the most Republican (R+11), a spread of about 44 points.
Why 28170 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 28170, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with many never-married adults vote Democratic. About 41% of adults in 28170 have never been married, modestly above similar-sized zip codes (around 26%). 28170 runs against the grain of North Carolina, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Food insecurity and voter turnout
Places with high food insecurity tend to turn out at a lower rate; 28170, NC sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. Food insecurity does not directly drive turnout; it reflects economic hardship, which lines up with lower voting.
Why turnout in 28170 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 28170 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. 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.