38018 leans Democratic by roughly 28 points: about 64% of voters vote Democratic and 36% Republican.
About 64% of adults in 38018 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 38018, ~41% vote Democratic, ~23% Republican, and ~36% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 38018 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 38018 leans more Democratic than 15 of 34 neighbors.
38018 runs about 57 points more Democratic than Tennessee as a whole. Tennessee leans Republican overall, while 38018 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 38018. The northwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+38) and the southeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+17), a spread of about 22 points.
Why 38018 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 38018, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 38018 is about 35%, about 38 points below the U.S. average of 72%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 38018 sits in the top quarter (about 47%, above 87% of zip codes). 38018 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; 38018, 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 38018 looks the way it does
Turnout in 38018 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 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.