Wapella is a Republican stronghold. About 23% of voters here vote Democratic and 77% Republican.
About 81% of adults in Wapella typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Wapella, ~19% vote Democratic, ~62% Republican, and ~19% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Wapella compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Wapella leans more Republican than 42 of 52 neighbors.
Wapella runs about 64 points more Republican than Illinois as a whole. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while Wapella is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why Wapella leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per city to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Wapella, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Wapella votes against the grain of Illinois. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while Wapella runs about 64 points more Republican.
Population density, never-married share, and Republican lean
Places that combine low population density and a never-married-heavy adult population tend to lean Republican, as Wapella, IL does.
Why turnout in Wapella looks the way it does
Areas with high high-school completion turn out at higher rates. About 97% of adults in Wapella have completed high school, about 7 points above the U.S. average of 90%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Clinton, IL R+36
- Heyworth, IL R+38
- Jenkins, IL R+53
- Ospur, IL R+53
- Waynesville, IL R+53
- Lane, IL R+53
- Dewitt, IL R+53
- Randolph, IL R+34
- Midland City, IL R+55
- Kenney, IL R+55
Cities with Similar Populations
- Flint Hill, VA R+25
- Phippsburg, CO R+2
- Glyndon, MD D+11
- Bell, MI R+33
- Morehouse, MO R+63
- Cabin Creek, WV R+32
- Alvordton, OH R+64
- Elcho, WI R+37
- Stringtown, MO R+69
- Stone Harbor, NJ R+8
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Illinois 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.