26542 is a Republican stronghold. About 24% of voters here vote Democratic and 76% Republican.
About 75% of adults in 26542 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 26542, ~18% vote Democratic, ~57% Republican, and ~25% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 26542 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 26542 leans more Republican than 8 of 17 neighbors.
26542 runs about 11 points more Republican than West Virginia as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 26542. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+59) and the northwest side is the least Republican-leaning (R+40), a spread of about 19 points.
Why 26542 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 26542, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with many family households vote Republican. About 74% of households in 26542 are family households, about 7 points above the U.S. average of 67%.
Park access and Republican lean
Places with low park coverage tend to lean Republican; 26542, WV sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in 26542 looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 88% of households in 26542 own their home, about 7 points above the West Virginia average of 81%. 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.