61749 is a Republican stronghold. About 23% of voters here vote Democratic and 77% Republican.
About 77% of adults in 61749 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 61749, ~18% vote Democratic, ~59% Republican, and ~23% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 61749 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 61749 leans more Republican than 9 of 14 neighbors.
61749 runs about 66 points more Republican than Illinois as a whole. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while 61749 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 61749 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 61749, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with a high white share and below-average college attainment vote Republican. In 61749, about 97% of residents are non-Hispanic white, about 25 points above the U.S. average of 72%; about 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, about 9 points below the Illinois average of 27%. 61749 runs against the grain of Illinois, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 61749, IL sits in the bottom tenth 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 61749 looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 88% of households in 61749 own their home, about 9 points above the Illinois average of 80%. 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 Illinois State Board of 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.