78872 leans slightly Republican by roughly 6 points: about 47% of voters vote Democratic and 53% Republican.
About 61% of adults in 78872 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 78872, ~29% vote Democratic, ~32% Republican, and ~39% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 78872 compares
78872 sits in a sparsely populated area with few comparable zip codes nearby.
78872 runs about 7 points more Democratic than Texas as a whole.
Why 78872 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 78872, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Rural areas vote Republican. About 2% of residents in 78872 live in densely developed areas, about 33 points below the Texas average of 35%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 78872 sits in the bottom quarter (about 14%, below 85% of zip codes).
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; 78872, TX sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in 78872 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 78872 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 44%, about 10 points below the Texas average of 54%. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 82% of adults in 78872 have completed high school, below 87% of zip codes. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and 78872 sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. 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.