North Central is a Democratic stronghold. About 83% of voters here vote Democratic and 17% Republican.
About 72% of adults in North Central typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in North Central, ~60% vote Democratic, ~12% Republican, and ~28% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How North Central compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, North Central leans more Democratic than 12 of 14 neighbors.
North Central runs about 70 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while North Central is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within North Central. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+83) and the west side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+47), a spread of about 36 points.
Why North Central leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per neighborhood to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for North Central, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
North Central votes against the grain of North Carolina. North Carolina leans Republican overall, while North Central runs about 70 points more Democratic. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and North Central sits in the top quarter (about 59%, above 80% of neighborhoods). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 57% of adults in North Central have never been married, above 91% of neighborhoods.
Park access and Democratic lean
Places with heavy park coverage tend to lean Democratic; North Central, Raleigh, NC sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in North Central looks the way it does
Turnout in North Central 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 Neighborhoods
- Mordecai, Raleigh, NC D+61
- South Central, Raleigh, NC D+69
- Central, Raleigh, NC D+65
- East Raleigh, Raleigh, NC D+64
- Five Points, Raleigh, NC D+38
- Hillsborough, Raleigh, NC D+55
- Wade, Raleigh, NC D+44
- Southwest Raleigh, Raleigh, NC D+47
- Glenwood, Raleigh, NC D+19
- South, Raleigh, NC D+71
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- Stafford-Tualatin Valley, West Linn, OR D+21
- Virginia Park, Tampa, FL D+2
- Merry Oaks, Nashville, TN D+5
- Hancock, Austin, TX D+65
- Elizabeth, Charlotte, NC D+52
- Arbor Heights, Seattle, WA D+66
- North Loop, Austin, TX D+69
- Parkdale Viking Hills, Waco, TX R+15
- Utah Park, Aurora, CO D+34
- Globe, Woonsocket, RI D+16
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.