HarrisDemocratic27.1%416TrumpRepublican71.3%1,095OliverLibertarian0.5%7
R+44.2- Lead
- 679
- Total
- 1,535
- vs nation
- R+42.8
- Turnout
- 79.0%
Akashiccounty
Highland County, VA
Office (updates table and map)
President margin by year
Place winner margin
Boundary by 2024 margin · Precinct returns · VEST · MIT Election Lab
The precinct map shows the 2024 presidential vote; the timeline scrubs the county’s overall result across 1892–2024.
President results by year
2024 turnout 79.0% of 1,957 citizens 18+
BidenDemocratic27.2%417TrumpRepublican71.2%1,092JorgensenLibertarian1.4%22
R+44.0- Lead
- 675
- Total
- 1,533
- vs nation
- R+48.5
- Turnout
- 81.1%
ClintonDemocratic26.7%371TrumpRepublican68.9%958JohnsonLibertarian2.4%33
R+42.2- Lead
- 587
- Total
- 1,391
- vs nation
- R+44.3
- Turnout
- 74.6%
ObamaDemocratic32.5%459RomneyRepublican65.4%924OtherAll other candidates2.1%30
R+32.9- Lead
- 465
- Total
- 1,413
- vs nation
- R+36.8
- Turnout
- —
ObamaDemocratic38.0%590McCainRepublican59.8%930OtherAll other candidates2.2%34
R+21.9- Lead
- 340
- Total
- 1,554
- vs nation
- R+29.2
- Turnout
- —
KerryDemocratic34.3%522BushRepublican64.6%982OtherAll other candidates1.1%16
R+30.3- Lead
- 460
- Total
- 1,520
- vs nation
- R+27.8
- Turnout
- —
GoreDemocratic31.5%453BushRepublican65.6%942NaderGreen2.2%32
R+34.0- Lead
- 489
- Total
- 1,437
- vs nation
- R+34.5
- Turnout
- —
ClintonDemocratic36.5%446DoleRepublican51.7%631PerotReform11.0%134
R+15.2- Lead
- 185
- Total
- 1,221
- vs nation
- R+23.7
- Turnout
- —
Key facts
- 2024 presidential margin
- R+44.2MIT Election Lab
- Population
- 2,2962024 5-year
- Population density
- 5.5 / sq mi2024 5-year · TIGER/Line
- Land area
- 415 sq miTIGER/Line
- Median household income
- $65,6252024 5-year
- White (non-Hispanic)
- 94.9%2024 5-year
- Black
- 0.0%2024 5-year
- Hispanic / Latino
- 0.0%2024 5-year
- Peak Democratic margin
- D+29.9 in 1964MIT Election Lab
- Peak Republican margin
- R+71.3 in 1972MIT Election Lab
- Most similar
- Fall River County, SD · twin score 81.6
Midterm durability
Total general-election participants divided by same-year citizen voting-age population. These are total ballots or participating voters—not presidential candidate votes.
- 2024 total turnout
- 79.0%1,546 participants ÷ 1,957 CVAP
- 2020→2022 drop-off
- +20.2 ptsPresidential-dependent
- Drop-off versus state
- -3.5 ptsPositive means a larger decline than the statewide pattern
- Mechanical 2026 scenario
- 58.8%–62.7%Recent-cycle and two-cycle persistence scenarios; not a forecast
| Election | Participants | CVAP | Turnout | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 · Presidential | 1,433 | 1,921 | 74.6% | A/A |
| 2018 · Midterm | 1,196 | 1,924 | 62.2% | A/A |
| 2020 · Presidential | 1,536 | 1,893 | 81.1% | A/A |
| 2022 · Midterm | 1,191 | 1,955 | 60.9% | A/A |
| 2024 · Presidential | 1,546 | 1,957 | 79.0% | A/A |
Sources and methods
- 2016: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 293/111.
- 2018: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 297/138.
- 2020: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 301/2.
- 2022: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 306/183.
- 2024: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 311/228.
presidential history
Party record book
Highland County, VA · the strongest Democratic and Republican presidential performances recorded here, measured three ways.
1892–2024 · 34 presidential cycles
Highest vote share
Largest share of the presidential candidate vote cast here.
Democratic
Lyndon B. Johnson1964
64.7%
5,295 votes · D+29.9
Runner-up · Grover Cleveland, 1892 · 60.2%
Republican
Richard Nixon1972
84.9%
52,536 votes · R+71.3
Runner-up · Donald Trump, 2024 · 71.3%
Most votes
Largest number of votes cast for the party’s presidential nominee here.
Democratic
George McGovern1972
8,420votes
13.6% of the vote · R+71.3
Runner-up · Lyndon B. Johnson, 1964 · 5,295 votes
Republican
Richard Nixon1972
52,536votes
84.9% of the vote · R+71.3
Runner-up · Barry Goldwater, 1964 · 2,844 votes
Best relative to the U.S.
This Place’s margin against the national margin in the same election — positive when it leaned toward the party more than the country did.
Democratic
John W. Davis1924
+30.7pts D vs U.S.
Place D+5.6 · U.S. R+25.2
Runner-up · Grover Cleveland, 1892 · +20.5 pts
Republican
Donald Trump2020
+48.5pts R vs U.S.
Place R+44.0 · U.S. D+4.5
Runner-up · Richard Nixon, 1972 · +48.1 pts
U.S. House elections · 2 House
Senate and governor results are in the Office selector at the top of this page.
U.S. House
Each row shows U.S. House votes counted inside this Place. “Vote lead” is the local lead here, not necessarily the winner of the full contest.
voter registration
Registered voters
Total registered voters, over time
Registered voters
| Year | Total registered |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,796 |
| 2018 | 1,778 |
| 2020 | 1,851 |
| 2022 | 1,898 |
| 2024 | 1,914 |
domestic migration
Who moves in and out
Net migration over time, and who arrivals are — where they came from and what those places vote
−1 net domestic migration · 2025
20112025
Net +141 over 2011–2025 · gain loss
Arrivals reported $76,788 in average income, against $54,220 for residents who stayed — 42% higher. (IRS SOI, 2022–23)
Migration is one input to a place’s political change, not its cause — a shift can also come from residents changing their minds, generational turnover, or turnout. These figures describe the places people moved between; they do not measure how any mover voted.
| Year | Net domestic migration |
|---|---|
| 2011 | −35 |
| 2012 | −14 |
| 2013 | −18 |
| 2014 | +49 |
| 2015 | −22 |
| 2016 | +16 |
| 2017 | +9 |
| 2018 | +3 |
| 2019 | −4 |
| 2021 | +14 |
| 2022 | +72 |
| 2023 | +62 |
| 2024 | +10 |
| 2025 | −1 |
Nestled in the Allegheny Highlands with fewer than 2,600 residents, Highland County has recorded some of Virginia's widest presidential margins, reflecting the heavily Republican voting patterns typical of rural Appalachian communities where agriculture and small-town life dominate.
Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 29.9 points in 1964 and a Republican high of 71.3 points in 1972. The 2024 margin was 44.2 points.
A population of 2,296, a 95% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $65,625 describe the county. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Fall River County and Custer County.
Political twins — counties
The counties whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Fall River County
South Dakota
81.6twin score
median age2000–2020 trajectory≠ Norwegian ancestry
Custer County
Colorado
80.4twin score
median age% White2000 margin≠ college share
Wheeler County
Oregon
79.3twin score
median agepopulation scale2000–2012 trajectory≠ % unaffiliated
Twin score (0–100) = weighted cosine between tier-standardized fingerprints: presidential margins 2000–2024 with 12-yr trend and elasticity, ACS income, age, education, population and race, top reported ancestries, and religious adherence — chips name the closest-shared dimensions and the widest gap. Re-weight the groups in the twins explorer.
Browse places by community — income, education, race & ethnicity, language — all community cuts →
Compare two places, side by side
Twelve curated comparisons line up election history, demographics, and the divergence story for two places at a glance. Browse all comparisons →
Cite this page
All citations released under CC BY 4.0. Attribution: Akashic Intelligence.
Highland County, Virginia. Akashic. https://akashic.app/county/51091/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.
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Frequently asked questions
How did Highland County, Virginia vote in 2024?
In 2024, Highland County, Virginia voted Republican by 44.2 points (R+44.2), carried by the Republican candidate. Out of 1,535 votes cast, 416 went Democratic and 1,095 went Republican.
When did Highland County, Virginia last vote Democratic?
The most recent presidential election in which Highland County, Virginia voted Democratic was 1964.
How many people live in Highland County, Virginia?
Highland County, Virginia has a population of 2,296 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Highland County, Virginia?
Median household income in Highland County, Virginia is $65,625 — below the national median of $80,734. The Virginia state median is $93,170.
What is the political history of Highland County, Virginia?
Akashic tracks 38 presidential elections in Highland County, Virginia from 1876 to 2024. Of those, 7 went Democratic and 27 went Republican.