Hillsdale County leans heavily Republican by roughly 44 points: about 28% of voters vote Democratic and 72% Republican.
About 77% of adults in Hillsdale County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Hillsdale County, ~22% vote Democratic, ~55% Republican, and ~23% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Hillsdale County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Hillsdale County leans more Republican than 5 of 12 neighbors.
Hillsdale County runs about 42 points more Republican than Michigan as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Hillsdale County. The south side is the most Republican-leaning (R+55) and the northeast side is the least Republican-leaning (R+36), a spread of about 20 points.
Why Hillsdale County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Hillsdale County. 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; Hillsdale County, MI sits in the bottom quarter 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 Hillsdale County looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Hillsdale County is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 64%, above 75% of counties. Homeowners vote more often than renters, and about 81% of households in Hillsdale County own their home, above 81% of counties. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Branch County, MI R+38
- Jackson County, MI R+14
- Williams County, OH R+50
- Steuben County, IN R+45
- Lenawee County, MI R+27
- Fulton County, OH R+45
- Calhoun County, MI R+9
- DeKalb County, IN R+49
- Defiance County, OH R+43
- Henry County, OH R+53
Counties with Similar Populations
- Greene County, AR R+58
- Thomas County, GA R+18
- Osage County, OK R+39
- Perry County, PA R+52
- Caldwell County, TX R+17
- Colquitt County, GA R+36
- Windham County, VT D+28
- Washington Parish, LA R+36
- Habersham County, GA R+55
- Dunn County, WI R+15
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.