Hancock County leans heavily Republican by roughly 42 points: about 29% of voters vote Democratic and 71% Republican.
About 74% of adults in Hancock County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Hancock County, ~21% vote Democratic, ~53% Republican, and ~26% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Hancock County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Hancock County leans more Republican than 10 of 17 neighbors.
Politically, Hancock County sits close to the rest of West Virginia.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Hancock County. The north side is the most Republican-leaning (R+56) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+27), a spread of about 29 points.
Why Hancock County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Hancock County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Cancer-screening access and voter turnout
Places with high colon-cancer-screening access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Hancock County, WV sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. Cancer screening does not drive turnout; it reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access.
Why turnout in Hancock County looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Hancock 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 57%, below 65% of counties. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Jefferson County, OH R+35
- Brooke County, WV R+42
- Beaver County, PA R+19
- Columbiana County, OH R+45
- Harrison County, OH R+56
- Ohio County, WV R+20
- Washington County, PA R+24
- Carroll County, OH R+55
- Allegheny County, PA D+22
- Belmont County, OH R+45
Counties with Similar Populations
- Neshoba County, MS R+31
- Morgan County, CO R+37
- Mason County, MI R+20
- Carroll County, VA R+63
- Marion County, SC D+17
- Ripley County, IN R+59
- Gallia County, OH R+57
- Fayette County, OH R+55
- Ellis County, KS R+38
- Van Wert County, OH R+56
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from West Virginia Secretary of State, 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.