48917 leans Democratic by roughly 22 points: about 61% of voters vote Democratic and 39% Republican.
About 81% of adults in 48917 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 48917, ~49% vote Democratic, ~32% Republican, and ~19% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 48917 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 48917 leans more Democratic than 9 of 20 neighbors.
48917 runs about 23 points more Democratic than Michigan as a whole. Michigan is roughly evenly split, and 48917 sits clearly on the Democratic side.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 48917. The northeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+26) and the southwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+7), a spread of about 19 points.
Why 48917 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 48917, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 88% of residents in 48917 live in densely developed areas, about 51 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 48917 sits in the top quarter (about 40%, above 81% of zip codes). 48917 runs against the grain of Michigan, a Democratic-leaning outlier in a roughly evenly split state.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; 48917, MI sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in 48917 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 48917 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 71%, about 11 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.