Oakland leans heavily Republican by roughly 46 points: about 27% of voters vote Democratic and 73% Republican.
About 70% of adults in Oakland typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Oakland, ~19% vote Democratic, ~51% Republican, and ~30% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Oakland compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Oakland leans more Republican than 6 of 73 neighbors.
Oakland runs about 16 points more Republican than Kentucky as a whole.
Why Oakland leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Oakland. 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; Oakland, KY 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 Oakland looks the way it does
Turnout in Oakland 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
- Motley, KY R+51
- Smiths Grove, KY R+58
- Sunnyside, KY R+47
- Rocky Hill, KY R+66
- Claypool, KY R+63
- Girkin, KY R+50
- Martinsville, KY R+67
- Plum Springs, KY R+30
- Finney, KY R+67
- Merry Oaks, KY R+65
Cities with Similar Populations
- Riviera, TX R+26
- White Creek, NY R+23
- Lemmon, SD R+61
- Hayden Lake, ID R+38
- Oxford, MD D+8
- Viola, KS R+59
- Lebo, KS R+60
- Ripley, MD D+35
- Mountain Ranch, CA R+18
- Percy, IL R+50
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Kentucky State Board of 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.