59601 leans Democratic by roughly 20 points: about 60% of voters vote Democratic and 40% Republican.
About 82% of adults in 59601 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 59601, ~49% vote Democratic, ~33% Republican, and ~18% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 59601 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 59601 is the most Democratic-leaning.
59601 runs about 41 points more Democratic than Montana as a whole. Montana leans Republican overall, while 59601 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 59601. The south side runs the most Democratic (D+40) and the northeast side runs the most Republican (R+13), a spread of about 53 points.
Why 59601 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 59601, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 49% of adults in 59601 hold a bachelor's degree, about 20 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Dense areas vote Democratic, and 59601 sits in the top fifth on density (about 77%, above 82% of zip codes). 59601 runs against the grain of Montana, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 59601, MT sits in the top quarter 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 59601 looks the way it does
Turnout in 59601 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 Montana 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.