45203 is a Democratic stronghold. About 85% of voters here vote Democratic and 15% Republican.
About 52% of adults in 45203 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 45203, ~44% vote Democratic, ~8% Republican, and ~48% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 45203 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 45203 leans more Democratic than 68 of 72 neighbors.
45203 runs about 81 points more Democratic than Ohio as a whole. Ohio leans Republican overall, while 45203 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 45203. The north side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+82) and the southwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+33), a spread of about 49 points.
Why 45203 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 45203, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. More than 99% of residents in 45203 live in densely developed areas, about 64 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 64% of adults in 45203 have never been married, above 98% of zip codes. 45203 runs against the grain of Ohio, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 45203, OH sits in the top tenth 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 45203 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 83% of households in 45203 rent, about 58 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 27% of adults in 45203 report food insecurity, above 91% of zip codes. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and 45203 sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. 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 Ohio Secretary of State, 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.