27980 leans heavily Republican by roughly 42 points: about 29% of voters vote Democratic and 71% Republican.
About 79% of adults in 27980 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 27980, ~23% vote Democratic, ~56% Republican, and ~21% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 27980 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 27980 leans more Republican than 8 of 9 neighbors.
27980 runs about 38 points more Republican than North Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 27980. The west side is the most Republican-leaning (R+56) and the southeast side is the least Republican-leaning (R+6), a spread of about 50 points.
Why 27980 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 27980, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Rural areas vote Republican. About 5% of residents in 27980 live in densely developed areas, about 22 points below the North Carolina average of 27%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 27980 sits in the bottom quarter (about 16%, below 79% of zip codes).
Paved land cover and Republican lean
Places with little paved surface tend to lean Republican; 27980, NC sits in the bottom quarter 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 27980 looks the way it does
Turnout in 27980 sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. 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.