Now that we’re headed towards the next big election, we wanted to get a better sense of what parts of North Carolina would be the most likely to back Donald Trump again.
Specifically, which cities have the highest number of conservative voters in the Tar Heel State?
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to measure how each city in North Carolina with populations greater than 5,000 voted in past elections. The cities with the highest percentage of voters who voted Republican were named the most conservative cities in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 most conservative places in North Carolina for 2024
If you’re wondering, Carrboro is the most liberal city in North Carolina of all those we measured.
And to be clear, we didn’t form this list based on our own biases — we relied on the cold hard data. For more on how we ran the numbers, keep on reading. Then we’ll take a closer look at each of our top 10 most conservative cities in North Carolina.
Additional reading about North Carolina and the most conservative places in the country:
The 10 Most Conservative Places In North Carolina For 2024
/10
Percent Republican: 78.4%
More on King: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 77.6%
More on Asheboro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 77.6%
More on High Point: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Percent Republican: 77.6%
More on Trinity: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 77.6%
More on Archdale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Percent Republican: 77.6%
More on Thomasville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 75.2%
More on Mount Airy: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 75.0%
More on Albemarle: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 75.0%
More on Sawmills: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 75.0%
More on Hickory: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
How we determined the most conservative cities in North Carolina for 2024
To find the most conservative places in North Carolina, we used Saturday Night Science – the argument you’d make at a bar – to find the cities with the most conservatives.
We started by making a list of every city in North Carolina over 5,000 people based on the 2018-2022 American Community Survey. That left us with 138 cities and towns.
We then measured the voting record and MIT election data to determine which places rock the most rightward in their allegiances by:
- Percentage Of Votes For The Republican President In 2020
Because no voting data exists at the city level, we used county-level election results from the 2020 election. We assigned every city in a county the percentage of votes that went to the Republicans, effectively extending the county’s results to the city level. In cases where larger cities encompassed an entire county, the election outcomes accurately reflected the city’s political landscape.
Next, we ranked each city from 1 to 138 for each criterion, where number one was the most conservative.
The winner, King, is “The Most Conservative City in North Carolina For 2024”. The most liberal place in North Carolina was Carrboro.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the most conservative places to live in North Carolina.
Summing Up The Conservative Strongholds in North Carolina
Well, there you have it, the places in North Carolina that have the highest number of conservatives per capita, with King ranking as the most conservative in the entire state.
The most conservative cities in North Carolina are King, Asheboro, High Point, Trinity, Archdale, Thomasville, Mount Airy, Albemarle, Sawmills, and Hickory.
If you’re curious, here are the least conservative cities in North Carolina:
- Carrboro
- Chapel Hill
- Hillsborough
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina
- Most Dangerous Cities In North Carolina
- Richest Cities In North Carolina
- Safest Cities in North Carolina
- Worst Places To Live In North Carolina
- Most Expensive Places To Live In North Carolina
Most Conservative Places In North Carolina
| Rank | City | Population | % Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King, NC | 7,210 | 78.4% |
| 2 | Asheboro, NC | 27,117 | 77.6% |
| 3 | High Point, NC | 114,120 | 77.6% |
| 4 | Trinity, NC | 7,012 | 77.6% |
| 5 | Archdale, NC | 11,873 | 77.6% |
| 6 | Thomasville, NC | 27,130 | 77.6% |
| 7 | Mount Airy, NC | 10,621 | 75.2% |
| 8 | Albemarle, NC | 16,444 | 75.0% |
| 9 | Sawmills, NC | 5,026 | 75.0% |
| 10 | Hickory, NC | 43,352 | 75.0% |
| 11 | Lenoir, NC | 18,301 | 75.0% |
| 12 | Marion, NC | 7,652 | 73.4% |
| 13 | Lexington, NC | 19,595 | 73.0% |
| 14 | Elizabeth City, NC | 18,570 | 72.4% |
| 15 | Lincolnton, NC | 11,225 | 72.4% |
| 16 | Forest City, NC | 7,357 | 72.3% |
| 17 | Mocksville, NC | 5,908 | 72.0% |
| 18 | Morehead City, NC | 9,632 | 70.3% |
| 19 | Morganton, NC | 17,457 | 69.5% |
| 20 | Long View, NC | 5,029 | 69.5% |
| 21 | Newton, NC | 13,173 | 67.8% |
| 22 | Conover, NC | 8,457 | 67.8% |
| 23 | Salisbury, NC | 35,437 | 67.2% |
| 24 | Kannapolis, NC | 53,314 | 67.2% |
| 25 | Shelby, NC | 21,712 | 65.9% |
| 26 | Kings Mountain, NC | 11,246 | 65.9% |
| 27 | Reidsville, NC | 14,526 | 65.5% |
| 28 | Eden, NC | 15,349 | 65.5% |
| 29 | Mooresville, NC | 50,025 | 65.5% |
| 30 | Statesville, NC | 28,576 | 65.5% |
| 31 | Davidson, NC | 15,199 | 65.5% |
| 32 | Jacksonville, NC | 71,908 | 63.8% |
| 33 | Bessemer City, NC | 5,472 | 63.2% |
| 34 | Mount Holly, NC | 17,644 | 63.2% |
| 35 | Gastonia, NC | 80,615 | 63.2% |
| 36 | Dallas, NC | 5,889 | 63.2% |
| 37 | Belmont, NC | 14,842 | 63.2% |
| 38 | Cramerton, NC | 5,294 | 63.2% |
| 39 | Cherryville, NC | 6,113 | 63.2% |
| 40 | Aberdeen, NC | 8,674 | 63.0% |
| 41 | Pinehurst, NC | 17,653 | 63.0% |
| 42 | Southern Pines, NC | 15,701 | 63.0% |
| 43 | Waynesville, NC | 10,307 | 62.5% |
| 44 | Washington, NC | 9,759 | 62.5% |
| 45 | Oak Island, NC | 8,564 | 61.9% |
| 46 | Leland, NC | 24,473 | 61.9% |
| 47 | St. James, NC | 6,566 | 61.9% |
| 48 | Boiling Spring Lakes, NC | 6,032 | 61.9% |
| 49 | Clayton, NC | 26,837 | 61.4% |
| 50 | Zebulon, NC | 7,421 | 61.4% |
| 51 | Selma, NC | 6,449 | 61.4% |
| 52 | Smithfield, NC | 11,527 | 61.4% |
| 53 | Indian Trail, NC | 40,325 | 61.4% |
| 54 | Monroe, NC | 34,897 | 61.4% |
| 55 | Wesley Chapel, NC | 8,763 | 61.4% |
| 56 | Waxhaw, NC | 20,665 | 61.4% |
| 57 | Unionville, NC | 6,694 | 61.4% |
| 58 | Weddington, NC | 13,173 | 61.4% |
| 59 | Stallings, NC | 16,193 | 61.4% |
| 60 | Marvin, NC | 6,421 | 61.4% |
| 61 | Mint Hill, NC | 26,537 | 61.4% |
| 62 | Clinton, NC | 8,362 | 60.8% |
| 63 | Angier, NC | 5,348 | 60.3% |
| 64 | Dunn, NC | 8,549 | 60.3% |
| 65 | Roxboro, NC | 8,131 | 60.2% |
| 66 | Lumberton, NC | 19,099 | 58.9% |
| 67 | Mills River, NC | 7,100 | 58.6% |
| 68 | Fletcher, NC | 8,000 | 58.6% |
| 69 | Hendersonville, NC | 15,102 | 58.6% |
| 70 | Havelock, NC | 16,759 | 58.5% |
| 71 | New Bern, NC | 31,373 | 58.5% |
| 72 | Kill Devil Hills, NC | 7,658 | 57.5% |
| 73 | Brevard, NC | 7,777 | 57.0% |
| 74 | Hamlet, NC | 6,043 | 57.0% |
| 75 | Rockingham, NC | 9,174 | 57.0% |
| 76 | Sanford, NC | 30,373 | 56.8% |
| 77 | Wake Forest, NC | 48,047 | 56.0% |
| 78 | Goldsboro, NC | 33,566 | 55.3% |
| 79 | Harrisburg, NC | 18,934 | 53.9% |
| 80 | Concord, NC | 105,335 | 53.9% |
| 81 | Graham, NC | 17,136 | 53.5% |
| 82 | Elon, NC | 11,161 | 53.5% |
| 83 | Mebane, NC | 17,899 | 53.5% |
| 84 | Gibsonville, NC | 8,827 | 53.5% |
| 85 | Burlington, NC | 56,951 | 53.5% |
| 86 | Oxford, NC | 8,685 | 52.7% |
| 87 | Butner, NC | 8,374 | 52.7% |
| 88 | Williamston, NC | 5,224 | 52.1% |
| 89 | Kinston, NC | 19,704 | 51.4% |
| 90 | Laurinburg, NC | 14,971 | 50.6% |
| 91 | Nashville, NC | 5,624 | 49.4% |
| 92 | Rocky Mount, NC | 54,260 | 49.4% |
| 93 | Wilson, NC | 47,767 | 48.1% |
| 94 | Carolina Beach, NC | 6,583 | 48.0% |
| 95 | Wilmington, NC | 116,933 | 48.0% |
| 96 | Wadesboro, NC | 5,004 | 47.5% |
| 97 | Boone, NC | 19,368 | 44.9% |
| 98 | Winterville, NC | 10,510 | 44.5% |
| 99 | Ayden, NC | 5,002 | 44.5% |
| 100 | Greenville, NC | 87,894 | 44.5% |
