81236 is a true toss-up. About 49% of voters here vote Democratic and 51% Republican.
About 78% of adults in 81236 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 81236, ~38% vote Democratic, ~40% Republican, and ~22% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 81236 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 81236 sits roughly in the middle of the political spectrum, with 3 neighbors leaning further in the place's direction and 1 leaning the other way.
81236 runs about 13 points more Republican than Colorado as a whole. Colorado leans Democratic overall, while 81236 sits closer to the political middle.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 81236. The east side runs the most Democratic (D+6) and the northeast side runs the most Republican (R+20), a spread of about 26 points.
Why 81236 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 81236, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
81236 votes against the grain of Colorado. Colorado leans Democratic overall, while 81236 runs about 13 points more Republican.
High-school completion, developed land, and voter turnout
Places that combine high-school-completion-heavy adults and a rural land-use pattern tend to turn out at a higher rate, as 81236, CO does.
Why turnout in 81236 looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 95% of households in 81236 own their home, about 20 points above the Colorado average of 75%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and more than 99% of adults in 81236 have completed high school, in the top fraction of 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.