28223 leans heavily Democratic by roughly 48 points: about 74% of voters vote Democratic and 26% Republican.
About 42% of adults in 28223 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 28223, ~31% vote Democratic, ~11% Republican, and ~58% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 28223 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 28223 leans more Democratic than 20 of 31 neighbors.
28223 runs about 51 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while 28223 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Why 28223 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 28223, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 96% of residents in 28223 live in densely developed areas, about 59 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 28223 sits in the top quarter (about 50%, above 89% of zip codes). 28223 runs against the grain of North Carolina, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; 28223, NC 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 28223 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 87% of households in 28223 rent, about 62 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 98% of adults in 28223 have completed high school, above 96% of zip codes. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and 28223 sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. 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.