Ohio River steel towns where a Democratic base eroded over two decades
Once a union stronghold anchored by steel mills on both banks of the Ohio, the Weirton-Steubenville metro has shifted sharply toward Republican margins since 2000 as manufacturing employment collapsed and the white working-class electorate realigned.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | 74K | R+43.9 | 8,592 | 22,317 | 31,267 | 14.5% |
| Jefferson | 69K | R+43.9 | 8,592 | 22,317 | 31,267 | 14.5% |
| Jefferson | 68K | R+43.9 | 8,592 | 22,317 | 31,267 | 14.5% |
| Jefferson | 65K | R+43.9 | 8,592 | 22,317 | 31,267 | 14.5% |
| Hancock | 33K | R+46.8 | 3,360 | 9,462 | 13,035 | 6.0% |
| Hancock | 30K | R+46.8 | 3,360 | 9,462 | 13,035 | 6.0% |
| Hancock | 30K | R+46.8 | 3,360 | 9,462 | 13,035 | 6.0% |
| Hancock | 28K | R+46.8 | 3,360 | 9,462 | 13,035 | 6.0% |
| Brooke | 25K | R+44.6 | 2,621 | 6,986 | 9,782 | 4.5% |
| Brooke | 24K | R+44.6 | 2,621 | 6,986 | 9,782 | 4.5% |
| Brooke | 23K | R+44.6 | 2,621 | 6,986 | 9,782 | 4.5% |
| Brooke | 22K | R+44.6 | 2,621 | 6,986 | 9,782 | 4.5% |
| Group | Local | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 92.6% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(8) | 3.8% | 12.2% |
Multiracial / Other | 1.9% | 4.0% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(15) | 1.1% | 19.3% |
▶Asian(6) | 0.4% | 6.0% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(9) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.1% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: +12.8pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Catholic-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Democratic-leaning urban and suburban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17.5% | 42.4% | — | — | |
| 10.4% | 25.1% | — | — | |
| 10.4% | 25.0% | — | — | |
| 1.6% | 3.8% | — | — | |
| 0.9% | 2.2% | — | — | |
| 0.6% | 1.4% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.4% | 1.1% | — | — |
Non-religiousPopulation | 58.6% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH metro area? 490,644 residents across 12 counties.
16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 17pp 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+44.7 | R+37.9 | 6.9pp |
| President vs Governor | R+44.7 | R+40.3 | 4.4pp |
| Senate vs Governor | R+37.9 | R+40.3 | 2.5pp |