Oil City is a Republican stronghold. About 23% of voters here vote Democratic and 77% Republican.
About 58% of adults in Oil City typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Oil City, ~13% vote Democratic, ~45% Republican, and ~42% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Oil City compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Oil City leans more Republican than 10 of 75 neighbors.
Oil City runs about 24 points more Republican than Kentucky as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Oil City. The northeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+59) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+49), a spread of about 10 points.
Why Oil City leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Oil City. 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 Oil City, KY does.
Why turnout in Oil City looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 44% of households in Oil City rent, about 19 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Coral Hill, KY R+60
- Pritchardsville, KY R+55
- Goodnight, KY R+60
- Glasgow, KY R+43
- Lecta, KY R+55
- Cave City, KY R+55
- Park City, KY R+58
- Merry Oaks, KY R+65
- Haywood, KY R+59
Cities with Similar Populations
- Alba, PA R+56
- Jay City, IN R+74
- Bass Harbor, ME D+19
- Cornersville, MS R+74
- Deschutes Junction, OR R+17
- Oak Ridge, AL R+81
- Golf, IL D+33
- Flatwoods, WV R+56
- Eddyville, IL R+59
- Lindsay, LA R+53
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.