81601 leans Democratic by roughly 16 points: about 58% of voters vote Democratic and 42% Republican.
About 78% of adults in 81601 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 81601, ~45% vote Democratic, ~33% Republican, and ~22% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 81601 compares
81601 sits in a sparsely populated area with few comparable zip codes nearby.
81601 runs about 6 points more Democratic than Colorado as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 81601. The west side runs the most Democratic (D+26) and the southwest side runs the most Republican (R+3), a spread of about 29 points.
Why 81601 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 81601, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 39% of adults in 81601 hold a bachelor's degree, about 11 points above the U.S. average of 28%.
Park access and Democratic lean
Places with heavy park coverage tend to lean Democratic; 81601, CO sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in 81601 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 81601 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.