98101 is a Democratic stronghold. About 81% of voters here vote Democratic and 19% Republican.
About 52% of adults in 98101 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98101, ~42% vote Democratic, ~10% Republican, and ~48% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98101 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98101 leans more Democratic than 50 of 71 neighbors.
98101 runs about 44 points more Democratic than Washington as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98101. The northeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+71) and the northwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+57), a spread of about 14 points.
Why 98101 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 98101, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 96% of residents in 98101 live in densely developed areas, about 60 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 98101 sits in the top quarter (about 73%, above 98% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 57% of adults in 98101 have never been married, above 97% of zip codes.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 98101, WA sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 98101 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 84% of households in 98101 rent, about 59 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and 98101 sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. 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 Washington 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.