McCreary County is a Republican stronghold. About 15% of voters here vote Democratic and 85% Republican.
About 60% of adults in McCreary County typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in McCreary County, ~9% vote Democratic, ~51% Republican, and ~40% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How McCreary County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, McCreary County leans more Republican than 15 of 19 neighbors.
McCreary County runs about 40 points more Republican than Kentucky as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within McCreary County. The southwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+81) and the east side is the least Republican-leaning (R+47), a spread of about 34 points.
Why McCreary 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 McCreary County, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Rural areas vote Republican. About 13% of residents in McCreary County live in densely developed areas, about 23 points below the U.S. average of 36%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and McCreary County sits in the bottom quarter (about 9%, in the bottom fraction of counties).
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; McCreary County, KY 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 McCreary County looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. McCreary County is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 43%, about 11 points below the Kentucky average of 54%. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 78% of adults in McCreary County have completed high school, below 96% of counties. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Scott County, TN R+70
- Whitley County, KY R+68
- Wayne County, KY R+65
- Pulaski County, KY R+59
- Campbell County, TN R+65
- Knox County, KY R+65
- Laurel County, KY R+63
- Fentress County, TN R+68
- Clinton County, KY R+72
- Pickett County, TN R+70
Counties with Similar Populations
- Rabun County, GA R+56
- Hardin County, IA R+40
- Edgar County, IL R+50
- Gunnison County, CO D+31
- Scurry County, TX R+66
- Warren County, IL R+22
- Cross County, AR R+41
- Marion County, AR R+56
- Buckingham County, VA R+23
- Garrard County, KY R+59
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Kentucky 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.