University Park leans Democratic by roughly 22 points: about 61% of voters vote Democratic and 39% Republican.
About 33% of adults in University Park typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in University Park, ~20% vote Democratic, ~13% Republican, and ~67% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How University Park compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, University Park leans more Democratic than 7 of 12 neighbors.
University Park runs about 34 points more Democratic than Ohio as a whole. Ohio leans Republican overall, while University Park is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within University Park. The north side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+38) and the southwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+8), a spread of about 30 points.
Why University Park 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 Park, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with many never-married adults vote Democratic. About 95% of adults in University Park have never been married, far above similar-sized neighborhoods (around 42%). High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and University Park sits in the top quarter (about 60%, above 81% of neighborhoods). University Park runs against the grain of Ohio, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; University Park, Dayton, OH 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 University Park looks the way it does
Crowded housing lines up with lower turnout. About 7% of homes in University Park have more than one occupant per room, above 85% of neighborhoods. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and University Park sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- Highland Park, Seattle, WA D+59
- Bal Bay, Orlando, FL Even
- Richmond Factory, Augusta, GA D+53
- Tremont, Cleveland, OH D+55
- Lake Aumond, Augusta, GA D+25
- East Erie, Erie, PA D+47
- Southwest Hills, Portland, OR D+72
- South Side, West Palm Beach, FL Even
- Wellington-Harrington, Cambridge, MA D+72
- Disston Heights, St. Petersburg, FL Even
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.