New Hanover County is a true toss-up. About 52% of voters here vote Democratic and 48% Republican.
About 83% of adults in New Hanover County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in New Hanover County, ~43% vote Democratic, ~40% Republican, and ~17% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How New Hanover County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, New Hanover County is the most Democratic-leaning.
New Hanover County runs about 8 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within New Hanover County. The west side runs the most Democratic (D+48) and the southeast side runs the most Republican (R+9), a spread of about 57 points.
Why New Hanover County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in New Hanover County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; New Hanover County, NC sits in the top 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 New Hanover County looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. New Hanover 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 66%, about 6 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 94% of adults in New Hanover County have completed high school, above 84% of counties. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Pender County, NC R+33
- Brunswick County, NC R+29
- Onslow County, NC R+23
- Columbus County, NC R+27
- Duplin County, NC R+23
- Bladen County, NC R+17
- Jones County, NC R+24
- Sampson County, NC R+26
- Horry County, SC R+30
- Carteret County, NC R+35
Counties with Similar Populations
- Cabarrus County, NC R+7
- Richmond City, VA D+65
- Jefferson County, MO R+39
- Whatcom County, WA D+23
- Tuscaloosa County, AL R+9
- Hinds County, MS D+52
- Gaston County, NC R+18
- Jackson County, OR R+3
- Shelby County, AL R+36
- Mahoning County, OH Even
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.