Central is a Democratic stronghold. About 82% of voters here vote Democratic and 18% Republican.
About 67% of adults in Central typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Central, ~55% vote Democratic, ~12% Republican, and ~33% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Central compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, Central leans more Democratic than 10 of 14 neighbors.
Central runs about 68 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while Central is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within Central. The southeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+77) and the north side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+52), a spread of about 25 points.
Why Central leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per neighborhood to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Central, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Central votes against the grain of North Carolina. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while Central runs about 68 points more Democratic. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 62% of adults in Central have never been married, above 94% of neighborhoods.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; Central, Raleigh, NC sits in the top tenth 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 Central looks the way it does
Turnout in Central 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 Neighborhoods
- South Central, Raleigh, NC D+69
- North Central, Raleigh, NC D+67
- Mordecai, Raleigh, NC D+61
- Hillsborough, Raleigh, NC D+55
- Southwest Raleigh, Raleigh, NC D+47
- Five Points, Raleigh, NC D+38
- Wade, Raleigh, NC D+44
- East Raleigh, Raleigh, NC D+64
- South, Raleigh, NC D+71
- Glenwood, Raleigh, NC D+19
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- Cambria Heights, Queens, NY D+84
- Russell, Louisville, KY D+82
- Millbrook, Grand Rapids, MI D+37
- Grandmont-Rosedale, Detroit, MI D+87
- Central Business District, Newark, NJ D+72
- South Tabor, Portland, OR D+71
- Crest Drive, Eugene, OR D+65
- San Pablo Gateway, Oakland, CA D+69
- Scenic Heights, Arvada, CO D+19
- East End, Boise, ID D+33
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.