Athens leans Republican by roughly 26 points: about 37% of voters vote Democratic and 63% Republican.
About 67% of adults in Athens typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Athens, ~25% vote Democratic, ~42% Republican, and ~33% 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 17 of 50 neighbors.
Politically, Athens sits close to the rest of Louisiana.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Athens. The northeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+41) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+17), a spread of about 24 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.
Car-dependent areas vote Republican. About 90% of residents in Athens drive to work alone, about 16 points above the U.S. average of 74%.
Population density, never-married share, and Republican lean
Places that combine low population density and a never-married-heavy adult population tend to lean Republican, as Athens, LA does.
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
- Old Athens, LA R+18
- Marsalis, LA R+31
- Aycock, LA R+39
- Homer, LA D+9
- Hurricane, LA R+24
- Arizona, LA R+56
- Sugarcreek, LA R+41
- Gibsland, LA D+11
- Sibley, LA R+39
- Pratt, LA D+2
Cities with Similar Populations
- Schuyler, VA R+20
- Hartford, IL R+32
- Prattsville, NY R+17
- Hydes, MD R+26
- Center, NC R+61
- West Mayfield, PA R+26
- Ashmore, IL R+55
- Spruce Pine, AL R+80
- Springport, IN R+52
- Pennellwood, MI R+27
All Local Stats
Home Services
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Louisiana 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.