61857 is a Republican stronghold. About 22% of voters here vote Democratic and 78% Republican.
About 69% of adults in 61857 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 61857, ~15% vote Democratic, ~54% Republican, and ~31% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 61857 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 61857 leans more Republican than 13 of 21 neighbors.
61857 runs about 66 points more Republican than Illinois as a whole. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while 61857 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 61857 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 61857, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with a high white share and below-average college attainment vote Republican. In 61857, more than 99% of residents are non-Hispanic white, about 27 points above the U.S. average of 72%; about 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, about 12 points below the Illinois average of 27%. Car-dependent areas vote Republican, and about 85% of residents in 61857 drive to work alone, above 87% of zip codes. 61857 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; 61857, IL sits below the national average on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 61857 looks the way it does
Areas with high high-school completion turn out at higher rates. About 97% of adults in 61857 have completed high school, about 5 points above the Illinois average of 92%. 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.