29617 leans slightly Republican by roughly 10 points: about 45% of voters vote Democratic and 55% Republican.
About 59% of adults in 29617 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 29617, ~27% vote Democratic, ~32% Republican, and ~41% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 29617 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 29617 leans more Republican than 7 of 20 neighbors.
29617 runs about 8 points more Democratic than South Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 29617. The southwest side runs the most Democratic (D+13) and the northwest side runs the most Republican (R+36), a spread of about 48 points.
Why 29617 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 29617, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
29617 votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 77%, far above the South Carolina average of 24%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; 29617, SC sits below the national average 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 29617 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 29617 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 38% of households in 29617 rent, above 85% of zip codes. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 25% of adults in 29617 report food insecurity, above 89% 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 South Carolina State Election Commission, 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.