26257 is a Republican stronghold. About 17% of voters here vote Democratic and 83% Republican.
About 45% of adults in 26257 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 26257, ~8% vote Democratic, ~37% Republican, and ~55% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 26257 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 26257 leans more Republican than 11 of 15 neighbors.
26257 runs about 23 points more Republican than West Virginia as a whole.
Why 26257 leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per zip code to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for 26257, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Rural areas vote Republican. About 5% of residents in 26257 live in densely developed areas, about 7 points below the West Virginia average of 12%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 26257 sits in the bottom quarter (about 8%, below 96% of zip codes). A high family-household share predicts Republican voting, and about 79% of households in 26257 are family households, above 90% of zip codes.
Paved land cover and Republican lean
Places with little paved surface tend to lean Republican; 26257, WV sits in the bottom 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 26257 looks the way it does
Areas with low high-school completion turn out at lower rates. About 86% of adults in 26257 have completed high school, below 77% of zip codes. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Zip Codes
Zip Codes with Similar Populations
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from West Virginia 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.