Shepherd is a Republican stronghold. About 19% of voters here vote Democratic and 81% Republican.
About 86% of adults in Shepherd typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Shepherd, ~16% vote Democratic, ~70% Republican, and ~14% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Shepherd compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Shepherd leans more Republican than 6 of 9 neighbors.
Shepherd runs about 42 points more Republican than Montana as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Shepherd. The northeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+72) and the southeast side is the least Republican-leaning (R+59), a spread of about 13 points.
Why Shepherd leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Shepherd. 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; Shepherd, MT 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 Shepherd looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 94% of households in Shepherd own their home, about 17 points above the Montana average of 77%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 96% of adults in Shepherd have completed high school, above 87% of cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Huntley, MT R+64
- Billings Heights, MT R+56
- Worden, MT R+65
- Lockwood, MT R+43
- Ballantine, MT R+64
- Billings, MT R+20
- Acton, MT R+57
- Hesper, MT R+48
- Broadview, MT R+58
- Pompeys Pillar, MT R+68
Cities with Similar Populations
- Osgood, IN R+62
- Athens, IL R+42
- George West, TX R+54
- Campton, KY R+56
- St. Leo, FL R+15
- Falconer, NY R+29
- Howards Grove, WI R+35
- Palmyra, WI R+31
- North Shore, CA D+16
- Willis, MI R+13
All Local Stats
Home Services
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Montana 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.