Coward is a Republican stronghold. About 22% of voters here vote Democratic and 78% Republican.
About 58% of adults in Coward typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Coward, ~13% vote Democratic, ~45% Republican, and ~42% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Coward compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Coward leans more Republican than 43 of 44 neighbors.
Coward runs about 39 points more Republican than South Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Coward. The west side is the most Republican-leaning (R+63) and the northeast side is the least Republican-leaning (R+47), a spread of about 16 points.
Why Coward 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 Coward, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with low college attainment vote Republican. About 8% of adults in Coward hold a bachelor's degree, about 16 points below the South Carolina average of 23%.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; Coward, SC sits below the national average 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 Coward looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Coward 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 37% of households in Coward rent, above 92% of cities. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 80% of adults in Coward have completed high school, below 91% of cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Scranton, SC R+41
- Effingham, SC R+20
- Danwood, SC R+23
- Hyman, SC R+33
- Peniel Crossroads, SC R+5
- Lake City, SC D+32
- Pamplico, SC R+28
- Olanta, SC R+23
- Orum, SC R+18
- Sardis, SC R+27
Cities with Similar Populations
- Lewistown, IL R+41
- Farmington, IL R+25
- St. Clair, PA R+27
- Ruidoso Downs, NM R+24
- Keenesburg, CO R+61
- Hotchkiss, CO R+39
- Jasonville, IN R+58
- Port Hadlock-Irondale, WA D+22
- Heidelberg, MS D+23
- Garden City, MO R+57
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.