78229 leans Democratic by roughly 26 points: about 63% of voters vote Democratic and 37% Republican.
About 33% of adults in 78229 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 78229, ~21% vote Democratic, ~12% Republican, and ~67% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 78229 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 78229 leans more Democratic than 39 of 58 neighbors.
78229 runs about 40 points more Democratic than Texas as a whole. Texas leans Republican overall, while 78229 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 78229. The northwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+31) and the west side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+17), a spread of about 14 points.
Why 78229 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 78229, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 99% of residents in 78229 live in densely developed areas, about 63 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 51% of adults in 78229 have never been married, above 95% of zip codes. 78229 runs against the grain of Texas, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; 78229, TX sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in 78229 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 78229 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 50%, about 10 points below the U.S. average of 60%. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 83% of households in 78229 rent, compared to around 49% in nearby 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 Texas Secretary of State, Elections Division, 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.