26505 leans Democratic by roughly 28 points: about 64% of voters vote Democratic and 36% Republican.
About 44% of adults in 26505 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 26505, ~28% vote Democratic, ~16% Republican, and ~56% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 26505 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 26505 is the most Democratic-leaning.
26505 runs about 70 points more Democratic than West Virginia as a whole. West Virginia leans Republican overall, while 26505 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 26505. The south 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 26505 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 26505, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 56% of adults in 26505 hold a bachelor's degree, about 28 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Dense areas vote Democratic, and 26505 sits in the top fifth on density (about 87%, above 86% of zip codes). 26505 runs against the grain of West Virginia, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 26505, WV 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 26505 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 69% of households in 26505 rent, about 44 points above the U.S. average of 25%. 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.