56161 is a Republican stronghold. About 21% of voters here vote Democratic and 79% Republican.
About 61% of adults in 56161 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 56161, ~13% vote Democratic, ~48% Republican, and ~39% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 56161 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 56161 leans more Republican than 4 of 5 neighbors.
56161 runs about 63 points more Republican than Minnesota as a whole. Minnesota leans Democratic overall, while 56161 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 56161 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 56161, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
56161 votes against the grain of Minnesota. Minnesota leans Democratic overall, while 56161 runs about 63 points more Republican. Rural areas vote Republican, and 56161 sits in the bottom quarter on density (about 6%, below 77% of zip codes).
Paved land cover and Republican lean
Places with little paved surface tend to lean Republican; 56161, MN sits below the national average on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 56161 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 56161 is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 68%, about 8 points above the U.S. average of 60%. 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.