Craven County leans Republican by roughly 16 points: about 42% of voters vote Democratic and 58% Republican.
About 78% of adults in Craven County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Craven County, ~33% vote Democratic, ~45% Republican, and ~22% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Craven County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Craven County leans more Republican than 2 of 8 neighbors.
Craven County runs about 12 points more Republican than North Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Craven County. The northeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+57) and the west side is the least Republican-leaning (R+12), a spread of about 46 points.
Why Craven County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Craven County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Cholesterol-screening access and voter turnout
Places with high cholesterol-screening access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Craven County, NC sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Cholesterol screening does not drive turnout; it reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access.
Why turnout in Craven County looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Craven 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 62%, above 63% of counties. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Pamlico County, NC R+37
- Jones County, NC R+24
- Carteret County, NC R+35
- Onslow County, NC R+23
- Beaufort County, NC R+24
- Lenoir County, NC Even
- Pitt County, NC D+17
- Greene County, NC R+15
- Duplin County, NC R+23
- Martin County, NC R+4
Counties with Similar Populations
- Laramie County, WY R+23
- Maury County, TN R+39
- DeKalb County, IL D+3
- Highlands County, FL R+33
- Garland County, AR R+33
- Roanoke City, VA D+25
- Hunt County, TX R+49
- Moore County, NC R+24
- Montgomery County, VA D+10
- Dallas County, IA R+7
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.