Harlingen is a true toss-up. About 48% of voters here vote Democratic and 52% Republican.
About 49% of adults in Harlingen typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Harlingen, ~24% vote Democratic, ~25% Republican, and ~51% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Harlingen compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Harlingen leans more Republican than 11 of 52 neighbors.
Harlingen runs about 11 points more Democratic than Texas as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Harlingen. The south side runs the most Democratic (D+5) and the southwest side runs the most Republican (R+15), a spread of about 20 points.
Why Harlingen leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Harlingen. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
High-school completion, developed land, and voter turnout
Places that combine low high-school-completion share and a heavily developed built environment tend to turn out at a lower rate, as Harlingen, TX does.
Why turnout in Harlingen looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Harlingen is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The uninsured rate here is about 33%, about 14 points above the Texas average of 19%. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 41% of households in Harlingen rent, compared to around 22% in nearby cities. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 78% of adults in Harlingen have completed high school, below 93% of cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Palm Valley, TX R+23
- Primera, TX R+9
- Combes, TX R+9
- Stuart Place, TX R+14
- Rangerville, TX R+17
- La Feria, TX R+4
- San Benito, TX R+3
- Santa Rosa, TX R+10
- Solis, TX R+11
- Landrum, TX R+3
Cities with Similar Populations
- Slidell, LA R+17
- Lawton, OK R+9
- Midlothian, VA Even
- Town 'n' Country, FL R+6
- Waldorf, MD D+60
- Englewood, CO D+27
- San Ramon, CA D+34
- Carmel, IN D+4
- Terre Haute, IN R+6
- Cicero, IL D+34
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Texas Secretary of State, Elections Division, 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.