38236 is a Republican stronghold. About 15% of voters here vote Democratic and 85% Republican.
About 51% of adults in 38236 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 38236, ~8% vote Democratic, ~43% Republican, and ~49% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 38236 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 38236 is the most Republican-leaning.
38236 runs about 41 points more Republican than Tennessee as a whole.
Why 38236 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 38236, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Rural areas vote Republican. About 5% of residents in 38236 live in densely developed areas, about 16 points below the Tennessee average of 21%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 38236 sits in the bottom quarter (about 9%, below 96% of zip codes).
Park access and Republican lean
Places with low park coverage tend to lean Republican; 38236, TN sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in 38236 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 34% of households in 38236 rent, about 9 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.