98421 leans Democratic by roughly 22 points: about 61% of voters vote Democratic and 39% Republican.
About 40% of adults in 98421 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98421, ~24% vote Democratic, ~16% Republican, and ~60% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98421 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98421 leans more Democratic than 27 of 53 neighbors.
Politically, 98421 sits close to the rest of Washington.
Why 98421 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 98421, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 50% of adults in 98421 hold a bachelor's degree, about 22 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting, and non-Hispanic white share in 98421 is about 66%, below 72% of zip codes. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 53% of adults in 98421 have never been married, above 96% of zip codes.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 98421, WA 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 98421 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 68% of households in 98421 rent, about 43 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and 98421 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.