55317 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 8 points: about 54% of voters vote Democratic and 46% Republican.
About more than 99% of adults in 55317 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 55317, ~55% vote Democratic, ~47% Republican, and ~-2% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 55317 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 55317 leans more Democratic than 13 of 46 neighbors.
Politically, 55317 sits close to the rest of Minnesota.
Why 55317 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 55317, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 65% of adults in 55317 hold a bachelor's degree, about 36 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Dense areas vote Democratic, and 55317 sits in the top fifth on density (about 73%, above 80% of zip codes).
Park access and Democratic lean
Places with heavy park coverage tend to lean Democratic; 55317, MN sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in 55317 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 55317 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 77%, about 17 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 98% of adults in 55317 have completed high school, above 93% of zip codes. 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 Minnesota 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.