98251 leans Republican by roughly 22 points: about 39% of voters vote Democratic and 61% Republican.
About 72% of adults in 98251 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98251, ~28% vote Democratic, ~44% Republican, and ~28% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98251 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98251 leans more Republican than 3 of 4 neighbors.
98251 runs about 40 points more Republican than Washington as a whole. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98251 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98251. The north side is the most Republican-leaning (R+26) and the southwest side is the least Republican-leaning (R+15), a spread of about 11 points.
Why 98251 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 98251, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
98251 votes against the grain of Washington. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98251 runs about 40 points more Republican.
Renting and voter turnout
Places with homeowner-heavy households tend to turn out at a higher rate; 98251, WA sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 98251 looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 89% of households in 98251 own their home, about 17 points above the Washington average of 73%. 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.