97317 leans slightly Republican by roughly 6 points: about 47% of voters vote Democratic and 53% Republican.
About 58% of adults in 97317 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 97317, ~27% vote Democratic, ~31% Republican, and ~42% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 97317 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 97317 leans more Republican than 7 of 18 neighbors.
97317 runs about 21 points more Republican than Oregon as a whole. Oregon leans Democratic overall, while 97317 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 97317. The northwest side runs the most Democratic (D+8) and the northeast side runs the most Republican (R+27), a spread of about 35 points.
Why 97317 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 97317, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
97317 votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 68%, far above the Oregon average of 31%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here. 97317 runs against the grain of Oregon, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 97317, OR sits in the top quarter 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 97317 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 97317 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 36% of households in 97317 rent, above 83% of 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 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.