Home to the University of Alabama, reshaping its electorate one enrollment cycle at a time
Tuscaloosa's metropolitan politics are pulled in competing directions by a large student and university-employee population on one side and a deeply conservative surrounding rural county on the other, producing margins that consistently outperform statewide Republican baselines by a measurable gap.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa | 238K | R+20.3 | 33,399 | 50,724 | 85,256 | 20.2% |
| Tuscaloosa | 202K | R+20.3 | 33,399 | 50,724 | 85,256 | 20.2% |
| Tuscaloosa | 179K | R+20.3 | 33,399 | 50,724 | 85,256 | 20.2% |
| Tuscaloosa | 165K | R+20.3 | 33,399 | 50,724 | 85,256 | 20.2% |
| Pickens | 21K | R+23.3 | 3,388 | 5,465 | 8,912 | 2.1% |
| Pickens | 20K | R+23.3 | 3,388 | 5,465 | 8,912 | 2.1% |
| Pickens | 20K | R+23.3 | 3,388 | 5,465 | 8,912 | 2.1% |
| Pickens | 19K | R+23.3 | 3,388 | 5,465 | 8,912 | 2.1% |
| Hale | 18K | D+6.8 | 3,868 | 3,369 | 7,305 | 1.7% |
| Hale | 17K | D+6.8 | 3,868 | 3,369 | 7,305 | 1.7% |
| Hale | 15K | D+6.8 | 3,868 | 3,369 | 7,305 | 1.7% |
| Hale | 15K | D+6.8 | 3,868 | 3,369 | 7,305 | 1.7% |
| Greene | 10K | D+55.7 | 3,133 | 885 | 4,039 | 1.0% |
| Greene | 9K | D+55.7 | 3,133 | 885 | 4,039 | 1.0% |
| Greene | 9K | D+55.7 | 3,133 | 885 | 4,039 | 1.0% |
| Greene | 7K | D+55.7 | 3,133 | 885 | 4,039 | 1.0% |
| Group | Tuscaloosa, AL | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 59.3% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(11) | 35.2% | 12.2% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(18) | 2.9% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 1.3% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 1.1% | 6.0% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(6) | 0.3% | 0.9% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(2) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -67.5pp (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33.1% | 68.2% | — | — | |
| 7.0% | 14.4% | — | — | |
| 4.4% | 9.1% | — | — | |
| 2.5% | 5.2% | — | — | |
| 1.5% | 3.0% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.5% | 1.1% | — | — |
Non-religiousPopulation | 51.5% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Tuscaloosa, AL metro area? 963,156 residents across 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate vs Governor | R+19.6 | R+20.5 | 0.8pp |