42638 is a Republican stronghold. About 15% of voters here vote Democratic and 85% Republican.
About 74% of adults in 42638 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 42638, ~11% vote Democratic, ~63% Republican, and ~26% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 42638 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 42638 leans more Republican than 1 of 8 neighbors.
42638 runs about 38 points more Republican than Kentucky as a whole.
Why 42638 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 42638, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Car-dependent areas vote Republican. More than 99% of residents in 42638 drive to work alone, about 26 points above the U.S. average of 74%. A high white share with below-average college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 42638 fits that profile on both counts.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; 42638, KY sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in 42638 looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 93% of households in 42638 own their home, about 15 points above the Kentucky average of 78%. Limited routine healthcare access lines up with lower turnout, and 42638 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 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.