University District is a Democratic stronghold. About 86% of voters here vote Democratic and 14% Republican.
About 48% of adults in University District typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in University District, ~41% vote Democratic, ~7% Republican, and ~52% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How University District compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, University District leans more Democratic than 5 of 20 neighbors.
University District runs about 84 points more Democratic than Ohio as a whole. Ohio leans Republican overall, while University District is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within University District. The northwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+82) and the east side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+60), a spread of about 22 points.
Why University District 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 University District, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 58% of adults in University District hold a bachelor's degree, about 29 points above the U.S. average of 28%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 79% of adults in University District have never been married, in the top fraction of neighborhoods. University District runs against the grain of Ohio, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; University District, Cleveland, OH sits in the top quarter 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 University District looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 86% of households in University District rent, about 61 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Hough, Cleveland, OH D+85
- Fairfax, Cleveland, OH D+87
- Glenville, Cleveland, OH D+87
- Woodland Hills, Cleveland, OH D+86
- Buckeye-Shaker, Cleveland, OH D+83
- Forest Hills, Cleveland, OH D+88
- Saint Claire-Superior, Cleveland, OH D+76
- Kinsmith, Cleveland, OH D+82
- Goodrich-Kirtland Park, Cleveland, OH D+45
- Central, Cleveland, OH D+78
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- Jomacha-Lomita, San Diego, CA D+29
- Grant Hill, San Diego, CA D+42
- Mesa, Santa Barbara, CA D+52
- Argay, Portland, OR D+30
- South Central Improvemen, Wichita, KS D+12
- Bond Hill, Cincinnati, OH D+72
- Ben Hill, Atlanta, GA D+83
- Fassnight, Springfield, MO D+7
- Clifton, Cincinnati, OH D+68
- Hayward Highland, Hayward, CA D+41
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Ohio 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.