Appalachian foothills market where textile-belt heritage shapes the electorate
Spanning the Carolinas-Georgia border across the Blue Ridge piedmont, this media market blends mid-size manufacturing cities with fast-growing exurbs, producing consistent Republican margins at the presidential level while competitive state legislative races emerge in suburban Greenville and Buncombe counties.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville | 548K | R+22.2 | 100,074 | 158,541 | 263,316 | 5.4% |
| Greenville | 482K | R+22.2 | 100,074 | 158,541 | 263,316 | 5.4% |
| Greenville | 430K | R+22.2 | 100,074 | 158,541 | 263,316 | 5.4% |
| Greenville | 380K | R+22.2 | 100,074 | 158,541 | 263,316 | 5.4% |
| Spartanburg | 348K | R+33.6 | 50,710 | 103,032 | 155,597 | 3.2% |
| Spartanburg | 294K | R+33.6 | 50,710 | 103,032 | 155,597 | 3.2% |
| Spartanburg | 277K | R+33.6 | 50,710 | 103,032 | 155,597 | 3.2% |
| Buncombe | 274K | D+24.7 | 98,662 | 59,016 | 160,510 | 3.3% |
| Spartanburg | 254K | R+33.6 | 50,710 | 103,032 | 155,597 | 3.2% |
| Buncombe | 250K | D+24.7 | 98,662 | 59,016 | 160,510 | 3.3% |
| Buncombe | 226K | D+24.7 | 98,662 | 59,016 | 160,510 | 3.3% |
| Anderson | 210K | R+47.4 | 25,281 | 71,828 | 98,296 | 2.0% |
| Buncombe | 206K | D+24.7 | 98,662 | 59,016 | 160,510 | 3.3% |
| Anderson | 193K | R+47.4 | 25,281 | 71,828 | 98,296 | 2.0% |
| Anderson | 180K | R+47.4 | 25,281 | 71,828 | 98,296 | 2.0% |
| Anderson | 166K | R+47.4 | 25,281 | 71,828 | 98,296 | 2.0% |
| Pickens | 135K | R+52.7 | 13,891 | 45,728 | 60,451 | 1.2% |
| Pickens | 121K | R+52.7 | 13,891 | 45,728 | 60,451 | 1.2% |
| Henderson | 118K | R+14.5 | 29,361 | 39,497 | 69,974 | 1.4% |
| Pickens | 116K | R+52.7 | 13,891 | 45,728 | 60,451 | 1.2% |
| Henderson | 111K | R+14.5 | 29,361 | 39,497 | 69,974 | 1.4% |
| Pickens | 111K | R+52.7 | 13,891 | 45,728 | 60,451 | 1.2% |
| Henderson | 100K | R+14.5 | 29,361 | 39,497 | 69,974 | 1.4% |
| Henderson | 89K | R+14.5 | 29,361 | 39,497 | 69,974 | 1.4% |
| Oconee | 80K | R+51.5 | 9,987 | 31,772 | 42,264 | 0.9% |
| Oconee | 75K | R+51.5 | 9,987 | 31,772 | 42,264 | 0.9% |
| Oconee | 71K | R+51.5 | 9,987 | 31,772 | 42,264 | 0.9% |
| Greenwood | 70K | R+29.0 | 10,766 | 19,715 | 30,888 | 0.6% |
| Laurens | 70K | R+40.9 | 8,769 | 21,110 | 30,213 | 0.6% |
| Laurens | 70K | R+40.9 | 8,769 | 21,110 | 30,213 | 0.6% |
| Greenwood | 69K | R+29.0 | 10,766 | 19,715 | 30,888 | 0.6% |
| Laurens | 69K | R+40.9 | 8,769 | 21,110 | 30,213 | 0.6% |
| Greenwood | 69K | R+29.0 | 10,766 | 19,715 | 30,888 | 0.6% |
| Rutherford | 67K | R+47.7 | 8,914 | 25,456 | 34,670 | 0.7% |
| Laurens | 66K | R+40.9 | 8,769 | 21,110 | 30,213 | 0.6% |
| Greenwood | 66K | R+29.0 | 10,766 | 19,715 | 30,888 | 0.6% |
| Oconee | 66K | R+51.5 | 9,987 | 31,772 | 42,264 | 0.9% |
| Rutherford | 65K | R+47.7 | 8,914 | 25,456 | 34,670 | 0.7% |
| Rutherford | 63K | R+47.7 | 8,914 | 25,456 | 34,670 | 0.7% |
| Rutherford | 63K | R+47.7 | 8,914 | 25,456 | 34,670 | 0.7% |
| Haywood | 63K | R+25.1 | 13,913 | 23,393 | 37,851 | 0.8% |
| Haywood | 60K | R+25.1 | 13,913 | 23,393 | 37,851 | 0.8% |
| Cherokee | 57K | R+51.4 | 5,939 | 18,697 | 24,839 | 0.5% |
| Haywood | 57K | R+25.1 | 13,913 | 23,393 | 37,851 | 0.8% |
| Cherokee | 56K | R+51.4 | 5,939 | 18,697 | 24,839 | 0.5% |
| Cherokee | 54K | R+51.4 | 5,939 | 18,697 | 24,839 | 0.5% |
| Haywood | 54K | R+25.1 | 13,913 | 23,393 | 37,851 | 0.8% |
| Cherokee | 53K | R+51.4 | 5,939 | 18,697 | 24,839 | 0.5% |
| McDowell | 45K | R+49.1 | 5,911 | 17,520 | 23,655 | 0.5% |
| McDowell | 45K | R+49.1 | 5,911 | 17,520 | 23,655 | 0.5% |
| Jackson | 44K | R+9.3 | 9,746 | 11,796 | 21,942 | 0.4% |
| McDowell | 44K | R+49.1 | 5,911 | 17,520 | 23,655 | 0.5% |
| McDowell | 42K | R+49.1 | 5,911 | 17,520 | 23,655 | 0.5% |
| Jackson | 41K | R+9.3 | 9,746 | 11,796 | 21,942 | 0.4% |
| MacOn | 38K | R+37.9 | 6,675 | 14,981 | 21,934 | 0.4% |
| Jackson | 36K | R+9.3 | 9,746 | 11,796 | 21,942 | 0.4% |
| MacOn | 34K | R+37.9 | 6,675 | 14,981 | 21,934 | 0.4% |
| Transylvania | 34K | R+12.1 | 8,972 | 11,492 | 20,780 | 0.4% |
| Jackson | 33K | R+9.3 | 9,746 | 11,796 | 21,942 | 0.4% |
| Transylvania | 33K | R+12.1 | 8,972 | 11,492 | 20,780 | 0.4% |
| MacOn | 33K | R+37.9 | 6,675 | 14,981 | 21,934 | 0.4% |
| Transylvania | 30K | R+12.1 | 8,972 | 11,492 | 20,780 | 0.4% |
| Union | 30K | R+32.7 | 4,084 | 8,102 | 12,289 | 0.2% |
| MacOn | 30K | R+37.9 | 6,675 | 14,981 | 21,934 | 0.4% |
| Transylvania | 29K | R+12.1 | 8,972 | 11,492 | 20,780 | 0.4% |
| Union | 28K | R+32.7 | 4,084 | 8,102 | 12,289 | 0.2% |
| Union | 28K | R+32.7 | 4,084 | 8,102 | 12,289 | 0.2% |
| Stephens | 27K | R+62.8 | 2,404 | 10,632 | 13,099 | 0.3% |
| Hart | 27K | R+54.8 | 3,210 | 11,064 | 14,331 | 0.3% |
| Union | 27K | R+32.7 | 4,084 | 8,102 | 12,289 | 0.2% |
| Abbeville | 26K | R+42.4 | 3,399 | 8,509 | 12,048 | 0.2% |
| Stephens | 26K | R+62.8 | 2,404 | 10,632 | 13,099 | 0.3% |
| Hart | 26K | R+54.8 | 3,210 | 11,064 | 14,331 | 0.3% |
| Stephens | 25K | R+62.8 | 2,404 | 10,632 | 13,099 | 0.3% |
| Abbeville | 25K | R+42.4 | 3,399 | 8,509 | 12,048 | 0.2% |
| Stephens | 25K | R+62.8 | 2,404 | 10,632 | 13,099 | 0.3% |
| Abbeville | 25K | R+42.4 | 3,399 | 8,509 | 12,048 | 0.2% |
| Abbeville | 24K | R+42.4 | 3,399 | 8,509 | 12,048 | 0.2% |
| Franklin | 24K | R+72.6 | 1,647 | 10,459 | 12,140 | 0.2% |
| Hart | 24K | R+54.8 | 3,210 | 11,064 | 14,331 | 0.3% |
| Hart | 23K | R+54.8 | 3,210 | 11,064 | 14,331 | 0.3% |
| Franklin | 22K | R+72.6 | 1,647 | 10,459 | 12,140 | 0.2% |
| Madison | 22K | R+23.4 | 5,090 | 8,275 | 13,621 | 0.3% |
| Franklin | 22K | R+72.6 | 1,647 | 10,459 | 12,140 | 0.2% |
| Madison | 21K | R+23.4 | 5,090 | 8,275 | 13,621 | 0.3% |
| Elbert | 21K | R+43.4 | 2,700 | 6,860 | 9,589 | 0.2% |
| Elbert | 21K | R+43.4 | 2,700 | 6,860 | 9,589 | 0.2% |
| Polk | 20K | R+25.1 | 4,827 | 8,107 | 13,068 | 0.3% |
| Franklin | 20K | R+72.6 | 1,647 | 10,459 | 12,140 | 0.2% |
| Madison | 20K | R+23.4 | 5,090 | 8,275 | 13,621 | 0.3% |
| Polk | 20K | R+25.1 | 4,827 | 8,107 | 13,068 | 0.3% |
| Elbert | 20K | R+43.4 | 2,700 | 6,860 | 9,589 | 0.2% |
| Madison | 20K | R+23.4 | 5,090 | 8,275 | 13,621 | 0.3% |
| Elbert | 19K | R+43.4 | 2,700 | 6,860 | 9,589 | 0.2% |
| Polk | 19K | R+25.1 | 4,827 | 8,107 | 13,068 | 0.3% |
| Yancey | 19K | R+34.3 | 3,635 | 7,509 | 11,283 | 0.2% |
| Yancey | 18K | R+34.3 | 3,635 | 7,509 | 11,283 | 0.2% |
| Polk | 18K | R+25.1 | 4,827 | 8,107 | 13,068 | 0.3% |
| Yancey | 18K | R+34.3 | 3,635 | 7,509 | 11,283 | 0.2% |
| Yancey | 18K | R+34.3 | 3,635 | 7,509 | 11,283 | 0.2% |
| Mitchell | 16K | R+55.7 | 1,915 | 6,843 | 8,842 | 0.2% |
| Mitchell | 16K | R+55.7 | 1,915 | 6,843 | 8,842 | 0.2% |
| Mitchell | 15K | R+55.7 | 1,915 | 6,843 | 8,842 | 0.2% |
| Mitchell | 15K | R+55.7 | 1,915 | 6,843 | 8,842 | 0.2% |
| Swain | 14K | R+23.6 | 2,643 | 4,311 | 7,052 | 0.1% |
| Swain | 14K | R+23.6 | 2,643 | 4,311 | 7,052 | 0.1% |
| Swain | 13K | R+23.6 | 2,643 | 4,311 | 7,052 | 0.1% |
| Swain | 13K | R+23.6 | 2,643 | 4,311 | 7,052 | 0.1% |
| Graham | 9K | R+63.7 | 839 | 3,883 | 4,779 | 0.1% |
| Graham | 8K | R+63.7 | 839 | 3,883 | 4,779 | 0.1% |
| Graham | 8K | R+63.7 | 839 | 3,883 | 4,779 | 0.1% |
| Graham | 8K | R+63.7 | 839 | 3,883 | 4,779 | 0.1% |
| Group | Local | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 77.3% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(13) | 13.4% | 12.2% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(19) | 5.4% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 1.9% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 1.2% | 6.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(5) | 0.6% | 0.9% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(9) | 0.3% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -60.6pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37.2% | 67.5% | — | — | |
| 6.7% | 12.1% | — | — | |
| 6.3% | 11.4% | — | — | |
| 3.0% | 5.5% | — | — | |
| 1.8% | 3.3% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.5% | 1.0% | — | — |
| 0.2% | 0.3% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 44.9% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Greenvll-Spart-Ashevll-and media market? 8,727,995 residents across 112 counties.
25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 8pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+3 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| President vs Governor | R+26.4 | D+8.5 | 34.9pp |