Permian Basin hub where energy cycles drive the electoral mood
Odessa anchors the Midland-Odessa metro in the heart of the Permian Basin, where boom-and-bust oil economics shape both population swings and voting patterns — the area has backed Republican presidential nominees by margins exceeding 50 points in recent cycles.
| Group | Odessa, TX | National |
|---|---|---|
▶Hispanic / Latino(18) | 54.3% | 19.3% |
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 38.9% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(8) | 4.4% | 12.2% |
▶Asian(5) | 0.9% | 6.0% |
Multiracial / Other | 0.9% | 4.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(3) | 0.6% | 0.9% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(3) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(2) | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -28.6pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28.6% | 56.6% | — | — | |
| 16.4% | 32.5% | — | — | |
| 2.9% | 5.8% | — | — | |
| 1.9% | 3.8% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 1.1% | 2.2% | — | — |
| 0.6% | 1.2% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 49.5% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Odessa, TX metro area? 567,942 residents across 4 counties.
15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 18pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+28 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| President vs Senate | R+52.9 | R+47.6 | 5.3pp |