28421 leans slightly Republican by roughly 14 points: about 43% of voters vote Democratic and 57% Republican.
About 62% of adults in 28421 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 28421, ~27% vote Democratic, ~35% Republican, and ~38% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 28421 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 28421 leans more Republican than 4 of 7 neighbors.
28421 runs about 11 points more Republican than North Carolina as a whole.
Why 28421 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 28421, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with low college attainment vote Republican. About 8% of adults in 28421 hold a bachelor's degree, about 19 points below the North Carolina average of 27%. Rural areas vote Republican, and 28421 sits in the bottom quarter on density (about 5%, below 82% of zip codes).
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; 28421, NC sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in 28421 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 28421 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 24% of adults in 28421 report food insecurity, above 87% of zip codes. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 84% of adults in 28421 have completed high school, below 83% 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.