81520 leans Republican by roughly 24 points: about 38% of voters vote Democratic and 62% Republican.
About 74% of adults in 81520 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 81520, ~28% vote Democratic, ~46% Republican, and ~26% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 81520 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 81520 leans more Republican than 4 of 8 neighbors.
81520 runs about 34 points more Republican than Colorado as a whole. Colorado leans Democratic overall, while 81520 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 81520. The north side is the most Republican-leaning (R+30) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+15), a spread of about 15 points.
Why 81520 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 81520, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
81520 votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 78%, far above the Colorado average of 35%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 81520 sits in the bottom quarter (about 15%, below 82% of zip codes). 81520 runs against the grain of Colorado, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 81520, 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 81520 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 81520 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. 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.