28311 leans heavily Democratic by roughly 30 points: about 65% of voters vote Democratic and 35% Republican.
About 71% of adults in 28311 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 28311, ~46% vote Democratic, ~25% Republican, and ~29% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 28311 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 28311 leans more Democratic than 15 of 17 neighbors.
28311 runs about 34 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while 28311 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 28311. The west side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+66) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (Even), a spread of about 64 points.
Why 28311 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 28311, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 28311 is about 37%, about 35 points below the U.S. average of 72%. 28311 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; 28311, 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 28311 looks the way it does
Turnout in 28311 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.