Athens leans heavily Republican by roughly 46 points: about 27% of voters vote Democratic and 73% Republican.
About 70% of adults in Athens typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Athens, ~19% vote Democratic, ~51% Republican, and ~30% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Athens compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Athens leans more Republican than 21 of 63 neighbors.
Athens runs about 16 points more Republican than Alabama as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Athens. The northwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+72) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+11), a spread of about 61 points.
Why Athens 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 Athens, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Athens votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 34%, modestly above the Alabama average of 19%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; Athens, AL 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 Athens looks the way it does
Turnout in Athens 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
- Tanner Crossroads, AL R+34
- Hays Mill, AL R+69
- Jones Crossroads, AL R+27
- Tanner, AL R+27
- Reid, AL R+33
- Elkmont, AL R+73
- Thach, AL R+76
- Gipsy, AL R+78
- Ripley, AL R+64
Cities with Similar Populations
- Minot, ND R+28
- North Fort Myers, FL R+31
- Westfield, IN R+8
- Redford, MI D+49
- Aloha, OR D+28
- Hialeah Gardens, FL R+43
- Kentwood, MI D+22
- Diamond Bar, CA D+11
- Glen Allen, VA D+18
- Ceres, CA R+5
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Alabama 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.