Northwest leans Republican by roughly 28 points: about 36% of voters vote Democratic and 64% Republican.
About 72% of adults in Northwest typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Northwest, ~26% vote Democratic, ~46% Republican, and ~28% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Northwest compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Northwest leans more Republican than 45 of 62 neighbors.
Northwest runs about 24 points more Republican than North Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Northwest. The north side runs the most Democratic (D+3) and the south side runs the most Republican (R+44), a spread of about 47 points.
Why Northwest leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Northwest. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; Northwest, NC sits above the national average on this measure.
Why turnout in Northwest looks the way it does
Turnout in Northwest 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 Cities
- Sandy Creek, NC R+45
- Phoenix, NC R+9
- Leland, NC R+18
- Hooper Hill, NC D+3
- Navassa, NC D+5
- Town Creek, NC R+39
- Belville, NC R+16
- Gooseneck, NC R+21
- Winnabow, NC R+25
- Delco, NC R+28
Cities with Similar Populations
- Elkhart, KS R+71
- Fort Jones, CA R+31
- New Knoxville, OH R+67
- Sumerduck, VA R+46
- Hillsboro Beach, FL R+22
- Ravenna, NE R+61
- Burlington, MI R+47
- Holcombe, WI R+37
- Kentland, IN R+44
- Mound Bayou, MS D+80
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.