Adams County leans heavily Republican by roughly 34 points: about 33% of voters vote Democratic and 67% Republican.
About 78% of adults in Adams County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Adams County, ~26% vote Democratic, ~52% Republican, and ~22% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Adams County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Adams County leans more Republican than 10 of 13 neighbors.
Adams County runs about 33 points more Republican than Pennsylvania as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Adams County. The north side is the most Republican-leaning (R+48) and the west side is the least Republican-leaning (R+23), a spread of about 24 points.
Why Adams County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Adams County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; Adams County, PA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in Adams County looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Adams County is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 65%, about 5 points above the U.S. average of 60%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- York County, PA R+21
- Carroll County, MD R+24
- Cumberland County, PA R+9
- Franklin County, PA R+41
- Frederick County, MD D+10
- Washington County, MD R+18
- Dauphin County, PA D+12
- Perry County, PA R+52
- Baltimore County, MD D+28
- Howard County, MD D+40
Counties with Similar Populations
- Bay County, MI R+18
- Cecil County, MD R+29
- Macon County, IL R+8
- Wicomico County, MD D+6
- Limestone County, AL R+45
- Fond du Lac County, WI R+23
- Etowah County, AL R+49
- Flathead County, MT R+32
- Daviess County, KY R+31
- Franklin County, MO R+48
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau 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.