28278 leans Democratic by roughly 30 points: about 65% of voters vote Democratic and 35% Republican.
About 81% of adults in 28278 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 28278, ~53% vote Democratic, ~28% Republican, and ~19% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 28278 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 28278 leans more Democratic than 23 of 34 neighbors.
28278 runs about 33 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while 28278 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 28278. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+36) and the west side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+10), a spread of about 25 points.
Why 28278 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 28278, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 57% of adults in 28278 hold a bachelor's degree, about 28 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting, and non-Hispanic white share in 28278 is about 35%, compared to around 59% in nearby zip codes. 28278 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; 28278, NC sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 28278 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 28278 is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 68%, about 8 points above the U.S. average of 60%. 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.