88242 is a Republican stronghold. About 16% of voters here vote Democratic and 84% Republican.
About 62% of adults in 88242 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 88242, ~10% vote Democratic, ~52% Republican, and ~38% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 88242 compares
88242 sits in a sparsely populated area with few comparable zip codes nearby.
88242 runs about 75 points more Republican than New Mexico as a whole. New Mexico leans Democratic overall, while 88242 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 88242. The northeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+74) and the southeast side is the least Republican-leaning (R+62), a spread of about 11 points.
Why 88242 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 88242, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
88242 votes against the grain of New Mexico. New Mexico leans Democratic overall, while 88242 runs about 75 points more Republican. A high family-household share predicts Republican voting, and about 75% of households in 88242 are family households, above 80% of zip codes.
Adult arthritis and voter turnout
Places with a low adult-arthritis rate tend to turn out at a higher rate; 88242, NM sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Arthritis does not drive turnout; it reflects the age and health profile of an area.
Why turnout in 88242 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 88242 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 New Mexico Secretary of State, Bureau of 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.