36602 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 14 points: about 57% of voters vote Democratic and 43% Republican.
About 55% of adults in 36602 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 36602, ~31% vote Democratic, ~24% Republican, and ~45% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 36602 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 36602 leans more Democratic than 15 of 27 neighbors.
36602 runs about 45 points more Democratic than Alabama as a whole. Alabama leans Republican overall, while 36602 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Why 36602 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 36602, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 98% of residents in 36602 live in densely developed areas, about 61 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 36602 sits in the top quarter (about 37%, above 78% of zip codes). 36602 runs against the grain of Alabama, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 36602, AL sits in the top quarter 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 36602 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 66% of households in 36602 rent, about 41 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 22% of adults in 36602 report food insecurity, above 83% of zip codes. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and 36602 sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. 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.