48226 is a Democratic stronghold. About 82% of voters here vote Democratic and 18% Republican.
About 68% of adults in 48226 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 48226, ~56% vote Democratic, ~12% Republican, and ~32% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 48226 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 48226 leans more Democratic than 45 of 70 neighbors.
48226 runs about 66 points more Democratic than Michigan as a whole. Michigan is roughly evenly split, and 48226 sits clearly on the Democratic side.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 48226. The southwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+75) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+53), a spread of about 22 points.
Why 48226 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 48226, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 90% of residents in 48226 live in densely developed areas, about 53 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 48226 sits in the top quarter (about 55%, above 92% of zip codes). 48226 runs against the grain of Michigan, a Democratic-leaning outlier in a roughly evenly split state.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 48226, MI sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 48226 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 48226 is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 69%, about 9 points above the U.S. average of 60%. 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.