Rowan County leans heavily Republican by roughly 34 points: about 33% of voters vote Democratic and 67% Republican.
About 65% of adults in Rowan County typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Rowan County, ~21% vote Democratic, ~44% Republican, and ~35% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Rowan County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Rowan County is the least Republican-leaning.
Politically, Rowan County sits close to the rest of Kentucky.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Rowan County. The east side is the most Republican-leaning (R+55) and the west side is the least Republican-leaning (R+32), a spread of about 22 points.
Why Rowan County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Rowan County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Local retail density and voter turnout
Places with dense local retail within a mile tend to turn out at a higher rate; Rowan County, KY sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. Nearby retail does not change how people vote; it reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in Rowan County looks the way it does
Turnout in Rowan County sits close to the national pattern. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Bath County, KY R+61
- Elliott County, KY R+57
- Menifee County, KY R+64
- Fleming County, KY R+61
- Morgan County, KY R+64
- Carter County, KY R+61
- Lewis County, KY R+66
- Montgomery County, KY R+52
- Wolfe County, KY R+57
- Nicholas County, KY R+60
Counties with Similar Populations
- Cassia County, ID R+63
- White County, IN R+43
- Union County, GA R+58
- Somerset County, MD Even
- Teller County, CO R+23
- Cleburne County, AR R+63
- Randolph County, MO R+49
- Nicholas County, WV R+60
- Miller County, MO R+64
- Goochland County, VA R+21
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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.