97218 is a Democratic stronghold. About 81% of voters here vote Democratic and 19% Republican.
About 64% of adults in 97218 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 97218, ~52% vote Democratic, ~12% Republican, and ~36% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 97218 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 97218 leans more Democratic than 48 of 65 neighbors.
97218 runs about 47 points more Democratic than Oregon as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 97218. The southwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+67) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+3), a spread of about 64 points.
Why 97218 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 97218, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. More than 99% of residents in 97218 live in densely developed areas, about 63 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 97218 sits in the top quarter (about 50%, above 89% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 45% of adults in 97218 have never been married, above 92% of zip codes.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 97218, OR sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 97218 looks the way it does
Turnout in 97218 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 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.