South Athol leans slightly Democratic by roughly 6 points: about 53% of voters vote Democratic and 47% Republican.
About 71% of adults in South Athol typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in South Athol, ~38% vote Democratic, ~33% Republican, and ~29% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How South Athol compares
Among cities within 25 miles, South Athol leans more Democratic than 67 of 112 neighbors.
South Athol runs about 19 points more Republican than Massachusetts as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within South Athol. The northwest side runs the most Democratic (D+30) and the northeast side runs the most Republican (R+16), a spread of about 47 points.
Why South Athol leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in South Athol. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; South Athol, MA sits in the top 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 South Athol looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. South Athol 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 71%, about 11 points above the U.S. average of 60%. Homeowners vote more often than renters, and about 93% of households in South Athol own their home, about 18 points above the U.S. average of 75%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Packard Heights, MA R+9
- Athol, MA R+8
- Petersham, MA D+15
- Orange, MA R+18
- New Salem, MA D+33
- Phillipston, MA R+15
- Phillipston Four Corners, MA R+24
- North Orange, MA R+20
- Wendell Depot, MA D+20
- Wendell, MA D+20
Cities with Similar Populations
- Sandy Springs, MS R+86
- Oakville, KY R+58
- Poniatowski, WI R+49
- Springdale, KS R+50
- Murphytown, WV R+57
- Chester, SD R+49
- Jimtown, WV R+65
- Protivin, IA R+43
- Clearfield, IA R+52
- Leader, MN R+55
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, 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.