36606 leans heavily Democratic by roughly 42 points: about 71% of voters vote Democratic and 29% Republican.
About 58% of adults in 36606 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 36606, ~41% vote Democratic, ~17% Republican, and ~42% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 36606 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 36606 leans more Democratic than 18 of 26 neighbors.
36606 runs about 72 points more Democratic than Alabama as a whole. Alabama leans Republican overall, while 36606 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 36606. The southeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+84) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+5), a spread of about 80 points.
Why 36606 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 36606, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 98% of residents in 36606 live in densely developed areas, about 62 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 39% of adults in 36606 have never been married, above 86% of zip codes. 36606 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; 36606, 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 36606 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 48% of households in 36606 rent, about 23 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Limited routine healthcare access lines up with lower turnout, and 36606 sits in the bottom quarter on routine-care measures. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 30% of adults in 36606 report food insecurity, above 93% 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.