61238 leans heavily Republican by roughly 38 points: about 31% of voters vote Democratic and 69% Republican.
About 79% of adults in 61238 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 61238, ~24% vote Democratic, ~55% Republican, and ~21% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 61238 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 61238 leans more Republican than 12 of 14 neighbors.
61238 runs about 49 points more Republican than Illinois as a whole. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while 61238 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 61238. The northeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+51) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+35), a spread of about 16 points.
Why 61238 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 61238, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
61238 votes against the grain of Illinois. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while 61238 runs about 49 points more Republican. Car-dependent areas vote Republican, and about 83% of residents in 61238 drive to work alone, above 83% of zip codes.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 61238, IL 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 61238 looks the way it does
Turnout in 61238 sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. 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.