Applegate leans heavily Republican by roughly 48 points: about 26% of voters vote Democratic and 74% Republican.
About 80% of adults in Applegate typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Applegate, ~21% vote Democratic, ~59% Republican, and ~20% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Applegate compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Applegate leans more Republican than 13 of 36 neighbors.
Applegate runs about 47 points more Republican than Michigan as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Applegate. The southwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+56) and the northeast side is the least Republican-leaning (R+39), a spread of about 17 points.
Why Applegate leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per city to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Applegate, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Car-dependent areas vote Republican. About 86% of residents in Applegate drive to work alone, about 13 points above the U.S. average of 74%. A high white share with below-average college attainment predicts Republican voting, and Applegate fits that profile on both counts.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; Applegate, MI sits below the national average on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in Applegate looks the way it does
Turnout in Applegate 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 Cities
- Carsonville, MI R+51
- Croswell, MI R+44
- Port Sanilac, MI R+39
- Watertown, MI R+57
- Lexington, MI R+26
- Lexington Heights, MI R+45
- Peck, MI R+53
- Forester, MI R+41
- Sandusky, MI R+44
- McGregor, MI R+55
Cities with Similar Populations
- Pilot, VA R+54
- Hopedale, IL R+51
- Merrionette Park, IL D+17
- Rocky Mount, MO R+59
- Beverly Hills, TX Even
- Tahuya, WA R+10
- Cuba, IL R+38
- Racetrack, MT R+49
- Dewy Rose, GA R+45
- Bylas, AZ D+54
All Local Stats
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Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Michigan Department 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.