78256 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 10 points: about 55% of voters vote Democratic and 45% Republican.
About 58% of adults in 78256 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 78256, ~32% vote Democratic, ~26% Republican, and ~42% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 78256 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 78256 leans more Democratic than 15 of 33 neighbors.
78256 runs about 24 points more Democratic than Texas as a whole. Texas leans Republican overall, while 78256 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 78256. The south side runs the most Democratic (D+32) and the northwest side runs the most Republican (R+8), a spread of about 39 points.
Why 78256 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 78256, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 53% of adults in 78256 hold a bachelor's degree, about 25 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting, and non-Hispanic white share in 78256 is about 34%, about 38 points below the U.S. average of 72%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 53% of adults in 78256 have never been married, above 96% of zip codes.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 78256, TX sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 78256 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 78256 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 65% of households in 78256 rent, compared to around 35% in nearby zip codes. 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 Texas Secretary of State, Elections Division, 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.