Oberlin is a Republican stronghold. About 19% of voters here vote Democratic and 81% Republican.
About 56% of adults in Oberlin typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Oberlin, ~11% vote Democratic, ~46% Republican, and ~43% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Oberlin compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Oberlin is the least Republican-leaning.
Oberlin runs about 46 points more Republican than Kansas as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Oberlin. The northwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+71) and the east side is the least Republican-leaning (R+61), a spread of about 10 points.
Why Oberlin leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Oberlin. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Local retail density and voter turnout
Places with sparse local retail within a mile tend to turn out at a lower rate; Oberlin, KS sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Nearby retail does not change how people vote; it reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in Oberlin looks the way it does
Turnout in Oberlin 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
- Midway, KS R+75
- Dresden, KS R+73
- Herndon, KS R+78
- Marion, NE R+73
- Jennings, KS R+72
- Danbury, NE R+73
- Norcatur, KS R+75
- Selden, KS R+83
Cities with Similar Populations
- Clinton, MT R+24
- Vader, WA R+35
- Chrisman, IL R+55
- Yoncalla, OR R+41
- Maple Plain, MN R+5
- North Rose, NY R+33
- Glen Lyon, PA R+15
- Glen, MS R+83
- Conway, NC R+12
- Laurel Hollow, NY R+15
All Local Stats
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Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Kansas 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.