61232 leans Republican by roughly 20 points: about 40% of voters vote Democratic and 60% Republican.
About 82% of adults in 61232 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 61232, ~33% vote Democratic, ~49% Republican, and ~18% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 61232 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 61232 leans more Republican than 11 of 23 neighbors.
61232 runs about 31 points more Republican than Illinois as a whole. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while 61232 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 61232. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+27) and the north side is the least Republican-leaning (R+17), a spread of about 11 points.
Why 61232 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 61232, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Car-dependent areas vote Republican. About 85% of residents in 61232 drive to work alone, about 11 points above the U.S. average of 74%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 61232 sits in the bottom quarter (about 16%, below 78% of zip codes). 61232 runs against the grain of Illinois, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 61232, IL sits below the national average on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 61232 looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 90% of households in 61232 own their home, about 11 points above the Illinois average of 80%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 97% of adults in 61232 have completed high school, above 87% 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 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.