27861 leans heavily Democratic by roughly 30 points: about 65% of voters vote Democratic and 35% Republican.
About 50% of adults in 27861 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 27861, ~33% vote Democratic, ~17% Republican, and ~50% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 27861 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 27861 is the most Democratic-leaning.
27861 runs about 34 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while 27861 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Why 27861 leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per zip code to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for 27861, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
27861 votes against the grain of North Carolina. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while 27861 runs about 34 points more Democratic.
Food insecurity and voter turnout
Places with high food insecurity tend to turn out at a lower rate; 27861, NC sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. Food insecurity does not directly drive turnout; it reflects economic hardship, which lines up with lower voting.
Why turnout in 27861 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 27861 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 42% of households in 27861 rent, about 17 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 26% of adults in 27861 report food insecurity, above 90% of zip codes. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Zip Codes
Zip Codes with Similar Populations
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from North Carolina 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.