Athens is a Republican stronghold. About 12% of voters here vote Democratic and 88% Republican.
About 63% of adults in Athens typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Athens, ~8% vote Democratic, ~55% Republican, and ~37% 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 26 of 44 neighbors.
Athens runs about 53 points more Republican than Mississippi as a whole.
Why Athens leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Athens. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; Athens, MS sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in Athens looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 91% of households in Athens own their home, about 14 points above the Mississippi average of 77%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Becker, MS R+81
- Quincy, MS R+84
- Amory, MS R+50
- Hatley, MS R+80
- Lackey, MS R+79
- Greenwood Springs, MS R+82
- Aberdeen, MS D+18
- East Aberdeen, MS R+33
- Wren, MS R+52
- Hamilton, MS R+61
Cities with Similar Populations
- Alamo, ND R+77
- Melrose, AL R+16
- McLuney, OH R+57
- Cyril, AL D+28
- Spring Valley, SD R+54
- Westport, IL R+61
- Widecreek, KY R+73
- Richardson, KY R+77
- Esterbrook, WY R+67
- Rudement, IL R+61
All Local Stats
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Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Mississippi 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.