28306 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 10 points: about 55% of voters vote Democratic and 45% Republican.
About 77% of adults in 28306 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 28306, ~42% vote Democratic, ~35% Republican, and ~23% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 28306 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 28306 leans more Democratic than 9 of 16 neighbors.
28306 runs about 12 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while 28306 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 28306. The northwest side runs the most Democratic (D+29) and the east side runs the most Republican (R+20), a spread of about 50 points.
Why 28306 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 28306, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 28306 is about 43%, about 29 points below the U.S. average of 72%. 28306 runs against the grain of North Carolina, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Developed land and Democratic lean
Places with a heavily developed built environment tend to lean Democratic; 28306, NC sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Developed land does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 28306 looks the way it does
Turnout in 28306 sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. 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.