Pender County leans heavily Republican by roughly 32 points: about 34% of voters vote Democratic and 66% Republican.
About 81% of adults in Pender County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Pender County, ~28% vote Democratic, ~53% Republican, and ~19% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Pender County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Pender County is the most Republican-leaning.
Pender County runs about 29 points more Republican than North Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Pender County. The northeast side runs the most Democratic (D+29) and the south side runs the most Republican (R+40), a spread of about 69 points.
Why Pender County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Pender County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Pender County, NC sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in Pender County looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 83% of households in Pender County own their home, about 10 points above the North Carolina average of 74%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- New Hanover County, NC D+5
- Onslow County, NC R+23
- Duplin County, NC R+23
- Brunswick County, NC R+29
- Jones County, NC R+24
- Bladen County, NC R+17
- Sampson County, NC R+26
- Columbus County, NC R+27
- Lenoir County, NC Even
- Carteret County, NC R+35
Counties with Similar Populations
- Herkimer County, NY R+29
- Crawford County, AR R+54
- Otter Tail County, MN R+35
- Bradford County, PA R+49
- Pittsylvania County, VA R+39
- Rutland County, VT R+9
- Washington County, VT D+19
- Washington County, OH R+42
- Mercer County, WV R+50
- Lincoln County, MO R+51
All Local Stats
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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.