36603 is a Democratic stronghold. About 88% of voters here vote Democratic and 12% Republican.
About 48% of adults in 36603 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 36603, ~42% vote Democratic, ~6% Republican, and ~52% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 36603 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 36603 leans more Democratic than 23 of 27 neighbors.
36603 runs about 107 points more Democratic than Alabama as a whole. Alabama leans Republican overall, while 36603 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 36603. The west side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+90) and the east side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+51), a spread of about 39 points.
Why 36603 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 36603, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 36603 is about 11%, about 61 points below the U.S. average of 72%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 52% of adults in 36603 have never been married, above 96% of zip codes. 36603 runs against the grain of Alabama, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 36603, AL sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 36603 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 36603 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 35%, about 19 points below the Alabama average of 54%. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 68% of households in 36603 rent, compared to around 49% in nearby zip codes. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 47% of adults in 36603 report food insecurity, in the top fraction 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.