Forsyth County leans Democratic by roughly 18 points: about 59% of voters vote Democratic and 41% Republican.
About 77% of adults in Forsyth County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Forsyth County, ~45% vote Democratic, ~32% Republican, and ~23% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Forsyth County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Forsyth County leans more Democratic than 13 of 15 neighbors.
Forsyth County runs about 21 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while Forsyth County is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Forsyth County. The north side runs the most Democratic (D+37) and the northeast side runs the most Republican (R+12), a spread of about 49 points.
Why Forsyth County leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per county to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Forsyth County, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 70% of residents in Forsyth County live in densely developed areas, about 33 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and Forsyth County sits in the top quarter (about 38%, above 90% of counties). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 36% of adults in Forsyth County have never been married, above 88% of counties.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; Forsyth County, NC sits in the top quarter 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 Forsyth County looks the way it does
Turnout in Forsyth County 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 Counties
- Stokes County, NC R+57
- Davidson County, NC R+36
- Davie County, NC R+45
- Guilford County, NC D+30
- Yadkin County, NC R+61
- Surry County, NC R+52
- Randolph County, NC R+46
- Rockingham County, NC R+31
- Rowan County, NC R+27
- Patrick County, VA R+58
Counties with Similar Populations
- Lane County, OR D+21
- Lake County, FL R+25
- Orleans Parish, LA D+63
- Allen County, IN R+5
- Mercer County, NJ D+38
- Madison County, AL R+5
- Osceola County, FL Even
- Marion County, FL R+28
- Collier County, FL R+20
- Stark County, OH R+18
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.