AkashicThe least college-educated places in America
Of the 100 counties with the lowest bachelor’s+, 86 voted Republican and 14 Democratic in 2024 — a median of R+54.9, and as a group they shifted −4.9 points toward Republicans from 2020 to 2024.
Does bachelor’s+ move the vote?
Every U.S. county, plotted by how little of the community lives there against its 2024 presidential margin — the demographic dial on one axis, the political one on the other.
Across every county, the more bachelor’s+ a county is, the more Democratic it votes — a moderate relationship (r = +0.59).
| Bachelor’s+ range | Counties | Median margin |
|---|---|---|
| 10.9% – 13.6% | 224 | R+55.0 |
| 13.6% – 16.3% | 339 | R+54.7 |
| 16.3% – 19.0% | 395 | R+52.9 |
| 19.0% – 21.8% | 413 | R+45.2 |
| 21.8% – 24.5% | 318 | R+42.3 |
| 24.5% – 27.2% | 234 | R+36.8 |
| 27.2% – 29.9% | 180 | R+30.4 |
| 29.9% – 32.6% | 157 | R+21.4 |
| 32.6% – 35.3% | 134 | R+21.0 |
| 35.3% – 38.0% | 99 | R+7.7 |
| 38.0% – 40.7% | 82 | R+2.3 |
| 40.7% – 43.4% | 62 | R+0.4 |
| 43.4% – 46.2% | 43 | D+10.4 |
| 46.2% – 48.9% | 30 | D+20.4 |
| 48.9% – 51.6% | 36 | D+6.5 |
| 51.6% – 54.3% | 79 | D+33.9 |
Where bachelor’s+ is lowest
Every county shaded by bachelor’s+ — deep where the value bottoms out, pale at the other end. Counties below 5,000 population are suppressed.
The leaderboard
Ranked least to most by bachelor’s+. Filter by region or state, switch the column lens, cap the list, and sort on any figure.
| # | 2008–24 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kusilvak Census Area, AK | 5.8% | D D+16.8 | −16.8 | 1,562 | |
| 2 | Pershing County, NV | 6.1% | R R+54.9 | −3.9 | 2,308 | |
| 3 | Duval County, TX | 6.8% | R R+9.8 | −12.4 | 4,461 | |
| 4 | Newton County, TX | 6.8% | R R+66.6 | −5.7 | 5,749 | |
| 5 | McDowell County, WV | 6.8% | R R+60.4 | −1.9 | 5,425 | |
| 6 | Lee County, AR | 7.2% | D D+3.5 | −1.3 | 2,520 | |
| 7 | Reeves County, TX | 7.4% | R R+36.9 | −13.7 | 3,439 | |
| 8 | Bullock County, AL | 8.1% | D D+45.8 | −4.1 | 4,111 | |
| 9 | Lincoln County, WV | 8.1% | R R+62.5 | −7.6 | 7,187 | |
| 10 | Johnson County, GA | 8.4% | R R+46.4 | −6.7 | 3,984 | |
| 11 | McCreary County, KY | 8.5% | R R+78.7 | −2.0 | 6,212 | |
| 12 | Elliott County, KY | 8.7% | R R+61.9 | −10.7 | 2,911 | |
| 13 | Wolfe County, KY | 8.7% | R R+50.6 | −8.3 | 2,915 | |
| 14 | Jackson County, KY | 8.8% | R R+81.8 | −2.5 | 5,934 | |
| 15 | Wilkinson County, MS | 8.8% | D D+25.3 | −9.2 | 2,931 | |
| 16 | Atkinson County, GA | 8.9% | R R+54.0 | −7.2 | 3,057 | |
| 17 | Switzerland County, IN | 8.9% | R R+57.4 | −5.2 | 4,258 | |
| 18 | Lafayette County, AR | 9.0% | R R+38.3 | −4.1 | 2,325 | |
| 19 | Marlboro County, SC | 9.0% | D D+2.4 | −8.5 | 10,152 | |
| 20 | Clinch County, GA | 9.1% | R R+51.5 | −4.1 | 2,908 | |
| 21 | Lee County, KY | 9.2% | R R+67.7 | −3.7 | 2,690 | |
| 22 | Sevier County, AR | 9.3% | R R+61.7 | −8.5 | 4,714 | |
| 23 | Lake County, TN | 9.4% | R R+54.9 | −7.4 | 1,939 | |
| 24 | Covington city, VA | 9.5% | R R+33.2 | −9.6 | 2,480 | |
| 25 | Mingo County, WV | 9.5% | R R+73.8 | −2.5 | 8,490 | |
| 26 | Turner County, GA | 9.8% | R R+28.5 | −3.7 | 3,833 | |
| 27 | Nicholas County, KY | 9.8% | R R+49.0 | −6.2 | 3,319 | |
| 28 | Dimmit County, TX | 9.8% | D D+3.3 | −20.7 | 3,427 | |
| 29 | Terry County, TX | 9.8% | R R+65.1 | −8.3 | 3,420 | |
| 30 | Lafayette County, FL | 9.9% | R R+76.0 | −4.4 | 3,756 | |
| 31 | Butler County, KY | 9.9% | R R+66.3 | −2.9 | 5,943 | |
| 32 | Anson County, NC | 9.9% | R R+2.5 | −6.7 | 10,875 | |
| 33 | Wheeler County, GA | 10.0% | R R+45.1 | −6.0 | 2,276 | |
| 34 | Telfair County, GA | 10.1% | R R+39.3 | −8.4 | 4,214 | |
| 35 | Carter County, MO | 10.1% | R R+74.2 | −4.0 | 2,862 | |
| 36 | Morrow County, OR | 10.1% | R R+48.0 | −4.7 | 4,732 | |
| 37 | Dickenson County, VA | 10.1% | R R+62.1 | −4.0 | 7,060 | |
| 38 | Calhoun County, WV | 10.1% | R R+64.8 | −4.4 | 2,936 | |
| 39 | Martin County, KY | 10.2% | R R+83.6 | −4.9 | 3,655 | |
| 40 | Garza County, TX | 10.2% | R R+72.6 | −1.1 | 1,599 | |
| 41 | Hancock County, GA | 10.3% | D D+35.4 | −8.5 | 4,240 | |
| 42 | Jenkins County, GA | 10.3% | R R+30.4 | −4.5 | 3,409 | |
| 43 | Lewis County, TN | 10.3% | R R+65.6 | −4.9 | 5,890 | |
| 44 | Bacon County, GA | 10.4% | R R+73.2 | −0.5 | 4,839 | |
| 45 | Twiggs County, GA | 10.5% | R R+14.7 | −7.3 | 4,456 | |
| 46 | Greene County, MS | 10.5% | R R+69.8 | −3.9 | 5,649 | |
| 47 | Barbour County, AL | 10.6% | R R+14.7 | −7.0 | 9,855 | |
| 48 | Northwest Arctic Borough, AK | 10.6% | R R+4.4 | −21.0 | 1,535 | |
| 49 | Noxubee County, MS | 10.6% | D D+47.6 | −4.8 | 4,449 | |
| 50 | Latimer County, OK | 10.6% | R R+65.6 | −2.6 | 4,079 | |
| 51 | Winkler County, TX | 10.6% | R R+70.5 | −4.9 | 1,933 | |
| 52 | Dixie County, FL | 10.7% | R R+70.4 | −4.4 | 8,148 | |
| 53 | Edmonson County, KY | 10.7% | R R+62.9 | −4.2 | 6,247 | |
| 54 | Claiborne Parish, LA | 10.7% | R R+22.1 | −6.3 | 5,816 | |
| 55 | DeSoto County, FL | 10.8% | R R+42.9 | −10.9 | 12,488 | |
| 56 | Hancock County, TN | 10.8% | R R+76.5 | +0.8 | 2,908 | |
| 57 | Gates County, NC | 10.9% | R R+21.6 | −7.9 | 5,868 | |
| 58 | Hamilton County, FL | 11.0% | R R+39.0 | −7.3 | 5,733 | |
| 59 | Macon County, GA | 11.0% | D D+17.9 | −5.1 | 4,686 | |
| 60 | Cocke County, TN | 11.0% | R R+68.3 | −3.4 | 15,663 | |
| 61 | Union County, FL | 11.1% | R R+68.3 | −2.9 | 6,231 | |
| 62 | Lincoln County, ID | 11.1% | R R+56.0 | −1.7 | 1,917 | |
| 63 | Holmes County, OH | 11.1% | R R+69.2 | −1.2 | 12,335 | |
| 64 | Zavala County, TX | 11.1% | D D+14.4 | −17.0 | 3,492 | |
| 65 | Appling County, GA | 11.2% | R R+62.4 | −5.5 | 8,334 | |
| 66 | Caldwell Parish, LA | 11.2% | R R+72.5 | −4.7 | 4,334 | |
| 67 | Amite County, MS | 11.2% | R R+32.8 | −6.7 | 6,815 | |
| 68 | Dallas County, AR | 11.3% | R R+29.4 | −6.4 | 2,324 | |
| 69 | Clay County, WV | 11.3% | R R+62.3 | −1.7 | 3,240 | |
| 70 | Poinsett County, AR | 11.4% | R R+63.5 | −3.8 | 7,079 | |
| 71 | Crawford County, IN | 11.4% | R R+48.6 | −5.5 | 5,011 | |
| 72 | Seward County, KS | 11.4% | R R+39.0 | −9.9 | 4,565 | |
| 73 | Carroll County, KY | 11.4% | R R+51.0 | −6.5 | 4,025 | |
| 74 | St. Helena Parish, LA | 11.4% | D D+0.8 | −9.5 | 5,745 | |
| 75 | Deaf Smith County, TX | 11.4% | R R+51.7 | −7.6 | 4,286 | |
| 76 | Washington County, FL | 11.5% | R R+65.4 | −4.3 | 12,584 | |
| 77 | LaGrange County, IN | 11.5% | R R+56.8 | −2.7 | 10,411 | |
| 78 | Leslie County, KY | 11.5% | R R+80.9 | −0.4 | 4,357 | |
| 79 | Avoyelles Parish, LA | 11.5% | R R+43.1 | −2.4 | 16,037 | |
| 80 | Harrison County, OH | 11.5% | R R+55.2 | −2.6 | 7,110 | |
| 81 | Clay County, TN | 11.5% | R R+66.6 | −9.6 | 3,760 | |
| 82 | Mitchell County, TX | 11.5% | R R+71.3 | −2.6 | 2,513 | |
| 83 | Buchanan County, VA | 11.5% | R R+70.5 | −3.0 | 9,337 | |
| 84 | Boone County, WV | 11.5% | R R+57.4 | −4.4 | 8,142 | |
| 85 | Lee County, SC | 11.6% | D D+17.7 | −9.9 | 8,076 | |
| 86 | Lunenburg County, VA | 11.6% | R R+22.8 | −4.1 | 5,885 | |
| 87 | Bibb County, AL | 11.7% | R R+64.3 | −6.6 | 9,257 | |
| 88 | Monroe County, AL | 11.7% | R R+23.1 | −7.2 | 9,815 | |
| 89 | Worth County, GA | 11.7% | R R+50.4 | −2.6 | 9,309 | |
| 90 | Tallahatchie County, MS | 11.7% | D D+5.9 | −4.9 | 5,012 | |
| 91 | Washington County, MO | 11.7% | R R+65.2 | −2.7 | 10,237 | |
| 92 | Gaines County, TX | 11.7% | R R+82.6 | −2.9 | 6,416 | |
| 93 | Oglala Lakota County, SD | 11.8% | D D+70.6 | −8.6 | 3,062 | |
| 94 | Childress County, TX | 11.8% | R R+76.1 | −4.5 | 2,272 | |
| 95 | La Salle County, TX | 11.8% | R R+20.5 | −8.7 | 2,360 | |
| 96 | Treutlen County, GA | 11.9% | R R+44.4 | −7.1 | 3,121 | |
| 97 | Allen Parish, LA | 11.9% | R R+61.0 | −5.3 | 8,751 | |
| 98 | Dallam County, TX | 11.9% | R R+78.3 | −4.2 | 1,447 | |
| 99 | Frio County, TX | 11.9% | R R+24.5 | −16.9 | 4,945 | |
| 100 | Gonzales County, TX | 11.9% | R R+54.8 | −6.7 | 7,755 |
Source. Demographics — U.S. Census American Community Survey 2024 5-year (ancestry B04006, language C16001, income B19013/B19001, education S1501, poverty S1701); adherence — 2020 U.S. Religion Census (ASARB); density — Census TIGER land area · counties and cities ≥ 5,000 population, ranked by bachelor’s+; the medians are taken across the 100 top counties; the correlation is over all 2,825 eligible counties. Presidential results are two-party margins (MIT Election Lab); city results are precinct-derived for 2008–2024. A place can be demographically homogeneous and politically split — which is exactly what these tables are built to show. Real returns — nothing estimated.