61244 leans Democratic by roughly 16 points: about 58% of voters vote Democratic and 42% Republican.
About 67% of adults in 61244 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 61244, ~39% vote Democratic, ~28% Republican, and ~33% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 61244 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 61244 leans more Democratic than 24 of 28 neighbors.
61244 runs about 5 points more Democratic than Illinois as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 61244. The south side runs the most Democratic (D+25) and the east side runs the most Republican (R+17), a spread of about 42 points.
Why 61244 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 61244, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 61244 is about 57%, about 15 points below the U.S. average of 72%.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 61244, IL sits above 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 61244 looks the way it does
Turnout in 61244 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.