36081 is a true toss-up. About 51% of voters here vote Democratic and 49% Republican.
About 51% of adults in 36081 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 36081, ~26% vote Democratic, ~25% Republican, and ~49% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 36081 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 36081 sits roughly in the middle of the political spectrum, with 4 neighbors leaning further in the place's direction and 1 leaning the other way.
36081 runs about 32 points more Democratic than Alabama as a whole. Alabama leans Republican overall, while 36081 sits closer to the political middle.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 36081. The southwest side runs the most Democratic (D+45) and the north side runs the most Republican (R+43), a spread of about 88 points.
Why 36081 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 36081, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
36081 votes against the grain of Alabama. Alabama leans Republican overall, while 36081 runs about 32 points more Democratic.
Never-married share, developed land, and voter turnout
Places that combine a never-married-heavy adult population and a heavily developed built environment tend to turn out at a lower rate, as 36081, AL does.
Why turnout in 36081 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 53% of households in 36081 rent, about 28 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 26% of adults in 36081 report food insecurity, above 90% 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 Alabama 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.