A small northern Michigan market where rural GOP margins run deep
Alpena's media market anchors Michigan's northeastern Lower Peninsula, a sparsely populated stretch where Republican presidential candidates have carried most counties by double digits in recent cycles.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpena | 31K | R+28.6 | 6,038 | 10,967 | 17,213 | 17.4% |
| Alpena | 30K | R+28.6 | 6,038 | 10,967 | 17,213 | 17.4% |
| Alpena | 29K | R+28.6 | 6,038 | 10,967 | 17,213 | 17.4% |
| Alpena | 29K | R+28.6 | 6,038 | 10,967 | 17,213 | 17.4% |
| Alcona | 12K | R+41.6 | 2,140 | 5,257 | 7,483 | 7.6% |
| Alcona | 11K | R+41.6 | 2,140 | 5,257 | 7,483 | 7.6% |
| Alcona | 10K | R+41.6 | 2,140 | 5,257 | 7,483 | 7.6% |
| Alcona | 10K | R+41.6 | 2,140 | 5,257 | 7,483 | 7.6% |
| Group | Alpena | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 95.8% | 57.4% |
Multiracial / Other | 1.9% | 4.0% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(7) | 1.1% | 19.3% |
▶Black / African American(3) | 0.5% | 12.2% |
Native American / Alaska Native | 0.4% | 0.9% |
▶Asian(6) | 0.3% | 6.0% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(4) | 0.3% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -13.5pp (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.4% | 40.5% | — | — | |
| 9.6% | 31.4% | — | — | |
| 7.4% | 24.0% | — | — | |
| 1.3% | 4.1% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.9% | 2.9% | — | — |
Non-religiousPopulation | 69.4% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Alpena media market? 162,779 residents across 8 counties.
16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 18pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+22 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 Senate | R+32.6 | R+31.6 | 1.0pp |