Appalachian metro where deindustrialization reshaped the political map
Centered on Allegany County, Maryland, this two-state metro along the Potomac shifted decisively rightward as its coal and manufacturing economy contracted over decades, now recording some of the widest Republican margins of any mid-Atlantic metro area.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany | 75K | R+40.2 | 9,231 | 22,141 | 32,137 | 17.8% |
| Allegany | 73K | R+40.2 | 9,231 | 22,141 | 32,137 | 17.8% |
| Allegany | 73K | R+40.2 | 9,231 | 22,141 | 32,137 | 17.8% |
| Allegany | 67K | R+40.2 | 9,231 | 22,141 | 32,137 | 17.8% |
| Mineral | 28K | R+60.2 | 2,483 | 10,247 | 12,904 | 7.2% |
| Mineral | 27K | R+60.2 | 2,483 | 10,247 | 12,904 | 7.2% |
| Mineral | 27K | R+60.2 | 2,483 | 10,247 | 12,904 | 7.2% |
| Mineral | 27K | R+60.2 | 2,483 | 10,247 | 12,904 | 7.2% |
| Group | Cumberland, MD-WV | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 90.7% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(11) | 5.5% | 12.2% |
Multiracial / Other | 1.8% | 4.0% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(10) | 1.2% | 19.3% |
▶Asian(6) | 0.6% | 6.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(2) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(6) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -14.4pp (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14.1% | 35.0% | — | — | |
| 13.8% | 34.2% | — | — | |
| 9.7% | 24.2% | — | — | |
| 2.2% | 5.4% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 1.1% | 2.8% | — | — |
| 0.5% | 1.2% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 59.8% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Cumberland, MD-WV metro area? 396,538 residents across 8 counties.
17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 16pp 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 Governor | R+45.9 | R+59.0 | 13.1pp |
| Senate vs Governor | R+50.6 | R+59.0 | 8.3pp |
| President vs Senate | R+45.9 | R+50.6 | 4.7pp |