54985 leans slightly Republican by roughly 12 points: about 44% of voters vote Democratic and 56% Republican.
About 42% of adults in 54985 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 54985, ~18% vote Democratic, ~24% Republican, and ~58% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 54985 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 54985 leans more Republican than 7 of 16 neighbors.
54985 runs about 11 points more Republican than Wisconsin as a whole.
Why 54985 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 54985, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with low college attainment vote Republican. About 12% of adults in 54985 hold a bachelor's degree, about 15 points below the Wisconsin average of 26%. Rural areas vote Republican, and 54985 sits in the bottom quarter on density (about 4%, below 86% of zip codes).
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 54985, WI 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 54985 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 38% of households in 54985 rent, about 13 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 83% of adults in 54985 have completed high school, below 85% 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 Wisconsin Elections Commission, 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.