96117 is a Republican stronghold. About 10% of voters here vote Democratic and 90% Republican.
About 78% of adults in 96117 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 96117, ~8% vote Democratic, ~70% Republican, and ~22% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 96117 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 96117 leans more Republican than 3 of 4 neighbors.
96117 runs about 99 points more Republican than California as a whole. California leans Democratic overall, while 96117 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 96117. The west side is the most Republican-leaning (R+80) and the north side is the least Republican-leaning (R+56), a spread of about 24 points.
Why 96117 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 96117, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
96117 votes against the grain of California. California leans Democratic overall, while 96117 runs about 99 points more Republican. Rural areas vote Republican, and 96117 sits in the bottom quarter on density (about 2%, below 95% of zip codes). Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 96117 sits in the bottom quarter (about 13%, below 88% of zip codes).
Population density and Republican lean
Places with low population density tend to lean Republican; 96117, CA sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 96117 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 96117 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 46%, about 16 points below the California average of 62%. 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 California Secretary of State, 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.