37217 leans Democratic by roughly 28 points: about 64% of voters vote Democratic and 36% Republican.
About 42% of adults in 37217 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 37217, ~27% vote Democratic, ~15% Republican, and ~58% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 37217 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 37217 leans more Democratic than 15 of 32 neighbors.
37217 runs about 58 points more Democratic than Tennessee as a whole. Tennessee leans Republican overall, while 37217 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 37217. The north side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+35) and the west side is the least Democratic-leaning (Even), a spread of about 34 points.
Why 37217 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 37217, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 88% of residents in 37217 live in densely developed areas, about 52 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 46% of adults in 37217 have never been married, above 92% of zip codes. 37217 runs against the grain of Tennessee, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 37217, TN sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 37217 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 37217 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 60% of households in 37217 rent, about 35 points above the U.S. average of 25%. 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 Tennessee Secretary of State, Division 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.