28202 leans heavily Democratic by roughly 44 points: about 72% of voters vote Democratic and 28% Republican.
About 64% of adults in 28202 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 28202, ~46% vote Democratic, ~18% Republican, and ~36% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 28202 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 28202 leans more Democratic than 22 of 34 neighbors.
28202 runs about 47 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while 28202 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 28202. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+61) and the south side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+33), a spread of about 28 points.
Why 28202 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 28202, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. More than 99% of residents in 28202 live in densely developed areas, about 64 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 28202 sits in the top quarter (about 67%, above 97% of zip codes). 28202 runs against the grain of North Carolina, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 28202, NC sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 28202 looks the way it does
Areas with high high-school completion turn out at higher rates. About 96% of adults in 28202 have completed high school, about 8 points above the North Carolina average of 88%. 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.