Back Central leans Democratic by roughly 16 points: about 58% of voters vote Democratic and 42% Republican.
About 35% of adults in Back Central typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Back Central, ~20% vote Democratic, ~15% Republican, and ~65% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Back Central compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, Back Central leans more Democratic than 1 of 7 neighbors.
Back Central runs about 8 points more Republican than Massachusetts as a whole.
Why Back Central leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Back Central. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; Back Central, Lowell, MA sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in Back Central looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 70% of households in Back Central rent, about 45 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 70% of adults in Back Central have completed high school, below 95% of neighborhoods. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and Back Central sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Downtown Lowell, Lowell, MA D+53
- South Lowell, Lowell, MA D+19
- Belvidere, Lowell, MA D+22
- The Acre, Lowell, MA D+42
- Centralville, Lowell, MA D+20
- Highlands, Lowell, MA D+28
- Pawtucketville, Lowell, MA D+15
- Mt Vernon Park, Lawrence, MA D+10
- Frye Circle, Andover, MA D+42
- Southeast Nashua, Nashua, NH D+26
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- The Arts District, Honolulu, HI D+23
- Puget, Bellingham, WA D+48
- Sunflower, Wichita, KS D+7
- Christopher Newport, Newport News, VA D+50
- Baker, Denver, CO D+72
- West Englewood, Teaneck, NJ D+56
- Townsite, Henderson, NV Even
- Country Squire Estates, West Valley City, UT D+6
- Smith Hill, Providence, RI D+47
- Fulton, Minneapolis, MN D+68
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, 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.