Hilliardston leans Democratic by roughly 18 points: about 59% of voters vote Democratic and 41% Republican.
About 91% of adults in Hilliardston typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Hilliardston, ~54% vote Democratic, ~37% Republican, and ~9% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Hilliardston compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Hilliardston leans more Democratic than 41 of 61 neighbors.
Hilliardston runs about 21 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while Hilliardston is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Why Hilliardston 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 Hilliardston, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Hilliardston votes against the grain of North Carolina. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while Hilliardston runs about 21 points more Democratic. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 32% of adults in Hilliardston have never been married, above 80% of cities.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; Hilliardston, NC sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in Hilliardston looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Hilliardston is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Salem, NC Even
- Taylors Store, NC D+17
- Red Oak, NC R+42
- Ita, NC D+42
- Drake, NC Even
- Whitakers, NC D+32
- Matthews Crossroads, NC R+2
- Castalia, NC R+16
- Glenview, NC D+73
- Nashville, NC R+13
Cities with Similar Populations
- Cloverland, WA R+49
- Kiva, MI R+27
- Suedburg, PA R+60
- Roxbury, VA R+18
- Greaney, MN R+29
- Greens Corner, ME R+26
- Carp, MN R+40
- Indianola, TX R+57
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.