Charleston Afb leans slightly Democratic by roughly 10 points: about 55% of voters vote Democratic and 45% Republican.
About 47% of adults in Charleston Afb typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Charleston Afb, ~26% vote Democratic, ~21% Republican, and ~53% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Charleston Afb compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Charleston Afb leans more Democratic than 41 of 49 neighbors.
Charleston Afb runs about 29 points more Democratic than South Carolina as a whole. South Carolina leans Republican overall, while Charleston Afb is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Charleston Afb. The southeast side runs the most Democratic (D+34) and the northeast side runs the most Republican (R+3), a spread of about 36 points.
Why Charleston Afb leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per city to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Charleston Afb, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 76% of residents in Charleston Afb live in densely developed areas, about 39 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and Charleston Afb sits in the top quarter (about 39%, above 86% of cities). Charleston Afb runs against the grain of South Carolina, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; Charleston Afb, SC sits in the top 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 Charleston Afb looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Charleston Afb is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 86% of households in Charleston Afb rent, compared to around 27% in nearby cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- North Charleston, SC D+37
- Hanahan, SC R+19
- Red Top, SC R+4
- Ladson, SC D+3
- Charleston, SC Even
- Goose Creek, SC R+5
- Lincolnville, SC D+19
- Fenwick Hills, SC Even
- Summerville, SC R+17
- Johns Island, SC R+6
Cities with Similar Populations
- Manti, UT R+63
- Milton, NY R+8
- Pineville, KY R+68
- Waynesville, GA R+72
- Spencerville, IN R+60
- Yountville, CA D+32
- McLeansboro, IL R+57
- Merton, WI R+32
- West Orange, TX R+50
- Jonesville, LA R+13
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from South Carolina State Election Commission, 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.