36481 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 12 points: about 56% of voters vote Democratic and 44% Republican.
About 65% of adults in 36481 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 36481, ~36% vote Democratic, ~29% Republican, and ~35% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 36481 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 36481 leans more Democratic than 4 of 6 neighbors.
36481 runs about 43 points more Democratic than Alabama as a whole. Alabama leans Republican overall, while 36481 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 36481. The southwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+46) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+4), a spread of about 42 points.
Why 36481 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 36481, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
36481 votes against the grain of Alabama. Alabama leans Republican overall, while 36481 runs about 43 points more Democratic.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 36481, AL sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 36481 looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 93% of households in 36481 own their home, about 15 points above the Alabama average of 78%. Limited routine healthcare access lines up with lower turnout, and 36481 sits in the bottom quarter on routine-care measures. 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.