56271 leans heavily Republican by roughly 44 points: about 28% of voters vote Democratic and 72% Republican.
About 57% of adults in 56271 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 56271, ~16% vote Democratic, ~41% Republican, and ~43% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 56271 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 56271 leans more Republican than 2 of 4 neighbors.
56271 runs about 49 points more Republican than Minnesota as a whole. Minnesota leans Democratic overall, while 56271 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 56271. The west side is the most Republican-leaning (R+48) and the northeast side is the least Republican-leaning (R+36), a spread of about 12 points.
Why 56271 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 56271, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
56271 votes against the grain of Minnesota. Minnesota leans Democratic overall, while 56271 runs about 49 points more Republican.
Population density, never-married share, and Republican lean
Places that combine low population density and a never-married-heavy adult population tend to lean Republican, as 56271, MN does.
Why turnout in 56271 looks the way it does
Turnout in 56271 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.