Temescal is a Democratic stronghold. About 92% of voters here vote Democratic and 8% Republican.
About 61% of adults in Temescal typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Temescal, ~56% vote Democratic, ~5% Republican, and ~39% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Temescal compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, Temescal leans more Democratic than 52 of 60 neighbors.
Temescal runs about 63 points more Democratic than California as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within Temescal. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+89) and the west side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+75), a spread of about 14 points.
Why Temescal leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per neighborhood to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Temescal, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. More than 99% of residents in Temescal live in densely developed areas, about 64 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and Temescal sits in the top quarter (about 74%, above 94% of neighborhoods). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 54% of adults in Temescal have never been married, above 87% of neighborhoods.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; Temescal, Oakland, CA sits in the top tenth 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 Temescal looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 69% of households in Temescal rent, about 44 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Strong routine healthcare access lines up with higher turnout, and Temescal sits in the top quarter on routine-care measures. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Mosswood, Oakland, CA D+82
- Shafter, Oakland, CA D+87
- Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA D+84
- Longfellow, Emeryville, CA D+80
- Pill Hill, Oakland, CA D+79
- Rockridge, Oakland, CA D+85
- Fairview Park, Oakland, CA D+88
- Oakland Ave-Harrison Street, Oakland, CA D+81
- Bushrod, Oakland, CA D+85
- Hoover-Foster, Oakland, CA D+76
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- Mount Hope, Providence, RI D+74
- Downtown Lowell, Lowell, MA D+53
- Lakeside Park, Tucson, AZ D+5
- West Redlands, Redlands, CA D+17
- Greater South, Lincoln, NE D+15
- Bank Square, Waltham, MA D+50
- Nevin Community, Charlotte, NC D+67
- Park West, Milwaukee, WI D+86
- Greenwood Forest, Houston, TX D+11
- Southeast, Helena, MT D+22
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from California 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.