Knox County leans heavily Republican by roughly 48 points: about 26% of voters vote Democratic and 74% Republican.
About 78% of adults in Knox County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Knox County, ~20% vote Democratic, ~58% Republican, and ~22% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Knox County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Knox County leans more Republican than 9 of 15 neighbors.
Knox County runs about 37 points more Republican than Ohio as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Knox County. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+67) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+35), a spread of about 33 points.
Why Knox County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Knox County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Local retail density and voter turnout
Places with dense local retail within a mile tend to turn out at a higher rate; Knox County, OH sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Nearby retail does not change how people vote; it reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in Knox County looks the way it does
Turnout in Knox 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
- Morrow County, OH R+58
- Licking County, OH R+29
- Richland County, OH R+27
- Coshocton County, OH R+54
- Delaware County, OH R+5
- Ashland County, OH R+50
- Holmes County, OH R+72
- Crawford County, OH R+51
- Marion County, OH R+35
- Muskingum County, OH R+41
Counties with Similar Populations
- Union County, OH R+30
- Laurel County, KY R+63
- Garfield County, OK R+43
- Walla Walla County, WA R+7
- Hall County, NE R+26
- Darlington County, SC R+8
- Stanly County, NC R+47
- Athens County, OH D+8
- Barry County, MI R+34
- Eddy County, NM R+49
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Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Ohio 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.