81526 leans Republican by roughly 26 points: about 37% of voters vote Democratic and 63% Republican.
About 88% of adults in 81526 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 81526, ~33% vote Democratic, ~55% Republican, and ~12% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 81526 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 81526 leans more Republican than 5 of 9 neighbors.
81526 runs about 36 points more Republican than Colorado as a whole. Colorado leans Democratic overall, while 81526 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 81526. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+38) and the north side is the least Republican-leaning (R+16), a spread of about 21 points.
Why 81526 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 81526, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
81526 votes against the grain of Colorado. Colorado leans Democratic overall, while 81526 runs about 36 points more Republican.
Never-married share and voter turnout
Places with a low never-married share tend to turn out at a higher rate; 81526, CO sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 81526 looks the way it does
Turnout in 81526 sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. 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.