28217 leans heavily Democratic by roughly 50 points: about 75% of voters vote Democratic and 25% Republican.
About 50% of adults in 28217 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 28217, ~38% vote Democratic, ~12% Republican, and ~50% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 28217 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 28217 leans more Democratic than 29 of 37 neighbors.
28217 runs about 53 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while 28217 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 28217. The north side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+79) and the west side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+34), a spread of about 45 points.
Why 28217 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 28217, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 86% of residents in 28217 live in densely developed areas, about 50 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 55% of adults in 28217 have never been married, above 97% of zip codes. 28217 runs against the grain of North Carolina, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 28217, NC sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 28217 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 28217 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 68% of households in 28217 rent, compared to around 49% in nearby zip codes. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 27% of adults in 28217 report food insecurity, above 91% 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 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.