61008 leans slightly Republican by roughly 10 points: about 45% of voters vote Democratic and 55% Republican.
About 71% of adults in 61008 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 61008, ~32% vote Democratic, ~39% Republican, and ~29% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 61008 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 61008 leans more Republican than 10 of 22 neighbors.
61008 runs about 21 points more Republican than Illinois as a whole. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while 61008 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 61008. The southwest side is the most split-leaning (R+28) and the north side is the least split-leaning (R+3), a spread of about 25 points.
Why 61008 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 61008, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
61008 votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 68%, far above the Illinois average of 33%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here. 61008 runs against the grain of Illinois, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 61008, IL sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 61008 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 61008 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 Illinois State Board of 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.