Elmhurst leans Democratic by roughly 18 points: about 59% of voters vote Democratic and 41% Republican.
About 84% of adults in Elmhurst typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Elmhurst, ~50% vote Democratic, ~34% Republican, and ~16% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Elmhurst compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Elmhurst leans more Democratic than 110 of 172 neighbors.
Elmhurst runs about 7 points more Democratic than Illinois as a whole.
Why Elmhurst leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per city to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Elmhurst, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. More than 99% of residents in Elmhurst live in densely developed areas, about 63 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and Elmhurst sits in the top quarter (about 64%, above 98% of cities).
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Elmhurst, IL sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in Elmhurst looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Elmhurst is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 75%, about 15 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 96% of adults in Elmhurst have completed high school, above 85% of cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Berkeley, IL D+44
- Villa Park, IL D+17
- Hillside, IL D+53
- Northlake, IL D+17
- Oakbrook Terrace, IL D+15
- Stone Park, IL D+23
- Bellwood, IL D+78
- Bensenville, IL D+8
- Melrose Park, IL D+22
- Westchester, IL D+34
Cities with Similar Populations
- Benton, AR R+39
- East Brunswick, NJ D+4
- Texas City, TX D+10
- Rancho Santa Margarita, CA R+2
- Spring Hill, TN R+34
- Roseville, MI D+7
- Mount Vernon, WA D+10
- Hurst, TX R+10
- El Centro, CA D+6
- Downingtown, PA D+14
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Illinois State Board of 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.