97209 is a Democratic stronghold. About 83% of voters here vote Democratic and 17% Republican.
About 64% of adults in 97209 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 97209, ~53% vote Democratic, ~11% Republican, and ~36% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 97209 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 97209 leans more Democratic than 55 of 68 neighbors.
97209 runs about 52 points more Democratic than Oregon as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 97209. The west side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+78) and the southeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+54), a spread of about 25 points.
Why 97209 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 97209, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 94% of residents in 97209 live in densely developed areas, about 57 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 97209 sits in the top quarter (about 63%, above 95% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 60% of adults in 97209 have never been married, above 98% of zip codes.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 97209, OR sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 97209 looks the way it does
Areas with high high-school completion turn out at higher rates. About 97% of adults in 97209 have completed high school, about 5 points above the Oregon average of 92%. 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.