56117 is a Republican stronghold. About 21% of voters here vote Democratic and 79% Republican.
About 52% of adults in 56117 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 56117, ~11% vote Democratic, ~41% Republican, and ~48% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 56117 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 56117 leans more Republican than 5 of 9 neighbors.
56117 runs about 63 points more Republican than Minnesota as a whole. Minnesota leans Democratic overall, while 56117 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 56117 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 56117, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
56117 votes against the grain of Minnesota. Minnesota leans Democratic overall, while 56117 runs about 63 points more Republican. Rural areas vote Republican, and 56117 sits in the bottom quarter on density (about 6%, below 78% of zip codes). A high family-household share predicts Republican voting, and about 81% of households in 56117 are family households, above 93% of zip codes.
Population density and Republican lean
Places with low population density tend to lean Republican; 56117, MN sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 56117 looks the way it does
Turnout in 56117 sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. 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 Minnesota 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.