81001 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 12 points: about 56% of voters vote Democratic and 44% Republican.
About 61% of adults in 81001 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 81001, ~34% vote Democratic, ~27% Republican, and ~39% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 81001 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 81001 leans more Democratic than 5 of 7 neighbors.
Politically, 81001 sits close to the rest of Colorado.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 81001. The south side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+22) and the north side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+8), a spread of about 14 points.
Why 81001 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 81001, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 87% of residents in 81001 live in densely developed areas, about 51 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 39% of adults in 81001 have never been married, above 86% of zip codes.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 81001, CO sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 81001 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 81001 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The uninsured rate here is about 20%, about 9 points above the Colorado average of 11%. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 45% of households in 81001 rent, compared to around 25% 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 Colorado 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.