26601 is a Republican stronghold. About 23% of voters here vote Democratic and 77% Republican.
About 58% of adults in 26601 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 26601, ~13% vote Democratic, ~45% Republican, and ~42% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 26601 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 26601 is the least Republican-leaning.
26601 runs about 13 points more Republican than West Virginia as a whole.
Why 26601 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 26601, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with low college attainment vote Republican. About 13% of adults in 26601 hold a bachelor's degree, about 16 points below the U.S. average of 28%. A high family-household share predicts Republican voting, and about 75% of households in 26601 are family households, above 79% of zip codes.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 26601, WV sits below the national average on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 26601 looks the way it does
Areas with low high-school completion turn out at lower rates. About 82% of adults in 26601 have completed high school, about 7 points below the U.S. average of 90%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 21% of adults in 26601 report food insecurity, above 81% 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.