49238 leans heavily Republican by roughly 44 points: about 28% of voters vote Democratic and 72% Republican.
About 86% of adults in 49238 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 49238, ~24% vote Democratic, ~62% Republican, and ~14% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 49238 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 49238 leans more Republican than 16 of 19 neighbors.
49238 runs about 43 points more Republican than Michigan as a whole.
Why 49238 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 49238, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Car-dependent areas vote Republican. About 89% of residents in 49238 drive to work alone, about 16 points above the U.S. average of 74%. A high white share with below-average college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 49238 fits that profile on both counts.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 49238, MI sits in the bottom quarter 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 49238 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 49238 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.