49459 leans heavily Republican by roughly 46 points: about 27% of voters vote Democratic and 73% Republican.
About 59% of adults in 49459 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 49459, ~16% vote Democratic, ~43% Republican, and ~41% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 49459 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 49459 leans more Republican than 5 of 6 neighbors.
49459 runs about 46 points more Republican than Michigan as a whole.
Why 49459 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 49459, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Rural areas vote Republican. About 5% of residents in 49459 live in densely developed areas, about 26 points below the Michigan average of 31%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 49459 sits in the bottom quarter (about 16%, below 78% of zip codes). A high family-household share predicts Republican voting, and about 76% of households in 49459 are family households, above 84% of zip codes.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 49459, MI sits in the bottom tenth 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 49459 looks the way it does
Areas with high food insecurity turn out at lower rates. About 21% of adults in 49459 report food insecurity, above 81% of zip codes. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 85% of adults in 49459 have completed high school, below 81% 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 Michigan Department 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.