27978 is a Republican stronghold. About 22% of voters here vote Democratic and 78% Republican.
About 53% of adults in 27978 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 27978, ~12% vote Democratic, ~41% Republican, and ~47% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 27978 compares
27978 sits in a sparsely populated area with few comparable zip codes nearby.
27978 runs about 54 points more Republican than North Carolina as a whole.
Why 27978 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 27978, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Rural areas vote Republican. About 2% of residents in 27978 live in densely developed areas, about 25 points below the North Carolina average of 27%.
Paved land cover and Republican lean
Places with little paved surface tend to lean Republican; 27978, NC sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 27978 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 27978 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 21% of adults in 27978 report food insecurity, above 81% of zip codes. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 86% of adults in 27978 have completed high school, below 79% 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.