42553 is a Republican stronghold. About 17% of voters here vote Democratic and 83% Republican.
About 70% of adults in 42553 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 42553, ~12% vote Democratic, ~58% Republican, and ~30% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 42553 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 42553 leans more Republican than 4 of 11 neighbors.
42553 runs about 35 points more Republican than Kentucky as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 42553. The northwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+71) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+61), a spread of about 10 points.
Why 42553 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 42553, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with a high white share and below-average college attainment vote Republican. In 42553, about 96% of residents are non-Hispanic white, about 24 points above the U.S. average of 72%; about 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, about 7 points below the Kentucky average of 19%. Car-dependent areas vote Republican, and about 85% of residents in 42553 drive to work alone, above 87% of zip codes.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 42553, KY sits below the national average on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 42553 looks the way it does
Turnout in 42553 sits close to the national pattern. 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 Kentucky State Board of 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.