Rutherford County, North Carolina
Latest: 2024
Safe Republican — 40 presidential elections on record
Race & ancestry
| Group | % |
|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 80.8% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(17) | 5.7% |
▶Black / African American(4) | 7.7% |
▶Asian(5) | 0.5% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(2) | 0.2% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(1) | 0.1% |
Multiracial / Other | 5.1% |
Religious adherence
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents |
|---|---|---|
| Evangelical Protestant | 52.8% | 75.7% |
| Mainline Protestant | 7.8% | 11.2% |
| Black Protestant | 3.9% | 5.5% |
| Catholic | 3.8% | 5.4% |
| Other | 1.5% | 2.2% |
| LDS (Mormon) | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Non-religious | 30.2% | — |
Presidential results
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Trump+47.7 |
| 2020 | Trump+45.8 |
| 2016 | Trump+47.4 |
| 2012 | Romney+33.4 |
| 2008 | McCain+31.8 |
| 2004 | Bush+33.1 |
| 2000 | Bush+27.9 |
| 1996 | Dole+14.2 |
| 1992 | Bush+9.3 |
Rutherford, North Carolina is a county that has a population of 64,930. In the 2024 presidential election, it voted Republican with a margin of R+47.7. Akashic Edge tracks 40 presidential elections here, dating back to 1868.
| Year | Dem % | Rep % | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 25.7% | 73.4% | R+47.7 | R+2.0 |
| 2020 | 26.5% | 72.3% | R+45.8 | D+1.6 |
| 2016 | 24.8% | 72.2% | R+47.4 | R+14.0 |
| 2012 | 32.7% | 66.0% | R+33.4 | R+1.6 |
| 2008 | 33.6% | 65.4% | R+31.8 | D+1.3 |
| 2004 | 33.2% | 66.3% | R+33.1 | R+5.2 |
| 2000 | 35.4% | 63.3% | R+27.9 | R+13.7 |
| 1996 | 38.6% | 52.7% | R+14.2 | R+4.8 |
| 1992 | 38.6% | 48.0% | R+9.3 | D+10.4 |
| 1988 | 40.0% | 59.7% | R+19.7 | D+5.0 |
| 1984 | 37.6% | 62.2% | R+24.7 | R+24.4 |
| 1980 | 49.0% | 49.3% | R+0.3 | R+21.6 |
| 1976 | 60.5% | 39.2% | D+21.3 | D+60.1 |
| 1972 | 30.0% | 68.8% | R+38.8 | R+20.1 |
| 1968 | 27.4% | 46.1% | R+18.7 | R+33.3 |
| 1964 | 57.3% | 42.7% | D+14.6 | D+17.1 |
| 1960 | 48.7% | 51.3% | R+2.5 | D+3.9 |
| 1956 | 46.8% | 53.2% | R+6.4 | R+2.5 |
| 1952 | 48.0% | 52.0% | R+3.9 | R+18.0 |
| 1948 | 51.0% | 37.0% | D+14.0 | — |
What defines Rutherford?
It has a working-class electorate (21% college-educated) — a demographic increasingly aligned with Republicans nationwide.
County in State Context
Current North Carolina Polling
Contextual statewide polling for North Carolina. County pages stay rooted in county returns, but live statewide polling helps frame the current cycle.
2026 North Carolina Senate General Election
Roy Cooper leads at 48.8%
4 pollsLow
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Explore this county's political evolution with the Historian
Key Insights
High-confidence patterns distilled from this geography's election history.
- Has voted Republican in the last 5 presidential elections
- Latest election (2024) was a Republican landslide with a 47.7% margin
- College attainment is 21% — 12pp below the national average. Similar education levels correlate with Republican lean nationally