48216 is a Democratic stronghold. About 81% of voters here vote Democratic and 19% Republican.
About 63% of adults in 48216 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 48216, ~51% vote Democratic, ~12% Republican, and ~37% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 48216 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 48216 leans more Democratic than 46 of 73 neighbors.
48216 runs about 63 points more Democratic than Michigan as a whole. Michigan is roughly evenly split, and 48216 sits clearly on the Democratic side.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 48216. The northwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+82) and the southeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+44), a spread of about 39 points.
Why 48216 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 48216, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 97% of residents in 48216 live in densely developed areas, about 61 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 51% of adults in 48216 have never been married, above 95% of zip codes. 48216 runs against the grain of Michigan, a Democratic-leaning outlier in a roughly evenly split state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 48216, MI 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 48216 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 48216 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. 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 Michigan Department 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.