97205 is a Democratic stronghold. About 85% of voters here vote Democratic and 15% Republican.
About 66% of adults in 97205 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 97205, ~56% vote Democratic, ~10% Republican, and ~34% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 97205 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 97205 leans more Democratic than 58 of 68 neighbors.
97205 runs about 57 points more Democratic than Oregon as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 97205. The west side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+84) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+53), a spread of about 31 points.
Why 97205 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 97205, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 92% of residents in 97205 live in densely developed areas, about 56 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 97205 sits in the top quarter (about 60%, above 94% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 56% of adults in 97205 have never been married, above 97% of zip codes.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 97205, OR sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 97205 looks the way it does
Areas with high high-school completion turn out at higher rates. About 96% of adults in 97205 have completed high school, about 7 points above the U.S. average of 90%. 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 Oregon 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.