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.
78.4% Republican vote · #1 most conservative in North Carolina
Located in
Stokes County, North Carolina
King is a city in Stokes and Forsyth counties, North Carolina, United States. The population was 6,904 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
77.6% Republican vote · #4 most conservative in North Carolina
Located in
Randolph County, North Carolina
High Point is a city located in the Piedmont Triad region of the State of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census the city had a total population of 104,371, with an estimated population of 108,629 in 2014. High Point is currently the ninth-largest municipality in North Carolina.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
77.6% Republican vote · #4 most conservative in North Carolina
Located in
Randolph County, North Carolina
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
77.6% Republican vote · #4 most conservative in North Carolina
Located in
Randolph County, North Carolina
Archdale is a city in Guilford and Randolph counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 11,415 at the 2010 census, up from 9,014 at the 2000 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
77.6% Republican vote · #4 most conservative in North Carolina
Located in
Randolph County, North Carolina
Thomasville is a city in Davidson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 26,757 at the 2010 census. The city is notable for its furniture industry, as are its neighbors High Point and Lexington. This Piedmont Triad community was established in 1852 and hosts the state’s oldest festival, “Everybody’s Day”. Built around the local railway system, Thomasville is home to the oldest railroad depot in the state, just a few hundred feet from the city’s most notable landmark, “The Big Chair”.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
77.6% Republican vote · #4 most conservative in North Carolina
Located in
Randolph County, North Carolina
Trinity is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 6,614 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
75.2% Republican vote · #7 most conservative in North Carolina
Located in
Surry County, North Carolina
Mount Airy is a city in Surry County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,388. The town is widely known as the home of actor Andy Griffith and the inspiration for the fictional town of Mayberry on his eponymous show.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
75.0% Republican vote · #8 most conservative in North Carolina
Located in
Stanly County, North Carolina
Albemarle is a small city and the county seat of Stanly County, North Carolina. The population was 15,903 in the 2010 Census. Gerald R. “Ronnie” Michael serves as Mayor and Albemarle has seven-member City Council elected in a combination of at-large and district seats. Albemarle has operated under the Council-Manager form of government since 1962. Michael Ferris has served as City Manager since December of 2014 and previously served as Assistant City Manager for nearly two decades. The City Manager is appointed by the City Council, and is responsible for the day to day administration of City government. The City-s Department Heads report directly to the City Manager, who is also responsible for development and administration of the City-s annual budget.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
75.0% Republican vote · #8 most conservative in North Carolina
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
75.0% Republican vote · #11 most conservative in North Carolina
Located in
Catawba County, North Carolina
Hickory is a city located primarily in Catawba County, North Carolina, with parts in adjoining Burke and Caldwell counties. The city’s population at the 2010 census was 40,010, with an estimated population in 2015 of 40,374. Hickory is the principal city in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA, in which the population at the 2010 census was 365,497 and is included as part of the Charlotte-Concord Combined Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is North Carolina’s statewide median.
On the map
Mapping the conservative strongholds in North Carolina
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most conservative cities in North Carolina for 2026
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 2020-2024 American Community Survey. That left us with 142 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 142 for each criterion, where number one was the most conservative.
The winner, King, is “The Most Conservative City in North Carolina For 2026”. The most liberal place in North Carolina was Carrboro.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the most conservative places to live in North Carolina.
The full plate
Most Conservative Places In North Carolina
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Conservative Score | Population | % Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King | 1.00 | 7,408 | 78.4% |
| 4 | High Point | 4.00 | 116,245 | 77.6% |
| 4 | Asheboro | 4.00 | 27,580 | 77.6% |
| 4 | Archdale | 4.00 | 12,087 | 77.6% |
| 4 | Thomasville | 4.00 | 27,321 | 77.6% |
| 4 | Trinity | 4.00 | 7,111 | 77.6% |
| 7 | Mount Airy | 7.00 | 10,633 | 75.2% |
| 8 | Albemarle | 8.50 | 16,762 | 75.0% |
| 8 | Locust | 8.50 | 5,840 | 75.0% |
| 11 | Hickory | 11.00 | 44,258 | 75.0% |
| 11 | Lenoir | 11.00 | 18,299 | 75.0% |
| 11 | Sawmills | 11.00 | 5,042 | 75.0% |
| 13 | Marion | 13.00 | 7,579 | 73.4% |
| 14 | Lexington | 15.00 | 19,690 | 73.0% |
| 15 | Elizabeth City | 17.00 | 18,871 | 72.4% |
| 16 | Lincolnton | 18.00 | 11,783 | 72.4% |
| 17 | Forest City | 19.00 | 7,363 | 72.3% |
| 18 | Mocksville | 20.00 | 6,068 | 72.0% |
| 19 | Morehead City | 21.00 | 9,806 | 70.3% |
| 20 | Long View | 23.00 | 5,011 | 69.5% |
| 20 | Morganton | 23.00 | 17,646 | 69.5% |
| 22 | Newton | 26.50 | 13,333 | 67.8% |
| 22 | Conover | 26.50 | 8,580 | 67.8% |
| 24 | Kannapolis | 29.50 | 57,890 | 67.2% |
| 24 | Salisbury | 29.50 | 35,825 | 67.2% |
| 26 | Shelby | 31.50 | 22,100 | 65.9% |
| 26 | Kings Mountain | 31.50 | 12,039 | 65.9% |
| 28 | Eden | 33.50 | 15,356 | 65.5% |
| 28 | Reidsville | 33.50 | 14,585 | 65.5% |
| 31 | Mooresville | 36.00 | 52,381 | 65.5% |
| 31 | Davidson | 36.00 | 15,660 | 65.5% |
| 31 | Statesville | 36.00 | 29,894 | 65.5% |
| 33 | Jacksonville | 38.00 | 71,279 | 63.8% |
| 37 | Cherryville | 42.50 | 6,226 | 63.2% |
| 37 | Gastonia | 42.50 | 82,884 | 63.2% |
| 37 | Mount Holly | 42.50 | 18,208 | 63.2% |
| 37 | Belmont | 42.50 | 15,546 | 63.2% |
| 37 | Cramerton | 42.50 | 5,450 | 63.2% |
| 37 | Dallas | 42.50 | 6,104 | 63.2% |
| 37 | Bessemer City | 42.50 | 5,580 | 63.2% |
| 42 | Whispering Pines | 48.50 | 5,211 | 63.0% |
| 42 | Pinehurst | 48.50 | 18,256 | 63.0% |
| 42 | Southern Pines | 48.50 | 16,420 | 63.0% |
| 42 | Aberdeen | 48.50 | 9,228 | 63.0% |
| 45 | Waynesville | 51.00 | 10,502 | 62.5% |
| 46 | Washington | 52.00 | 9,726 | 62.5% |
| 49 | Carolina Shores | 55.00 | 5,017 | 61.9% |
| 49 | Oak Island | 55.00 | 9,030 | 61.9% |
| 49 | St. James | 55.00 | 7,072 | 61.9% |
| 49 | Boiling Spring Lakes | 55.00 | 6,347 | 61.9% |
| 49 | Leland | 55.00 | 29,607 | 61.9% |
| 54 | Zebulon | 60.00 | 8,711 | 61.4% |
| 54 | Selma | 60.00 | 6,817 | 61.4% |
| 54 | Smithfield | 60.00 | 12,116 | 61.4% |
| 54 | Clayton | 60.00 | 29,320 | 61.4% |
| 54 | Archer Lodge | 60.00 | 5,186 | 61.4% |
| 61 | Weddington | 67.00 | 13,805 | 61.4% |
| 61 | Monroe | 67.00 | 36,759 | 61.4% |
| 61 | Waxhaw | 67.00 | 22,275 | 61.4% |
| 61 | Unionville | 67.00 | 6,954 | 61.4% |
| 61 | Stallings | 67.00 | 16,886 | 61.4% |
| 61 | Marvin | 67.00 | 6,692 | 61.4% |
| 61 | Indian Trail | 67.00 | 42,036 | 61.4% |
| 61 | Wesley Chapel | 67.00 | 9,090 | 61.4% |
| 61 | Mint Hill | 67.00 | 27,556 | 61.4% |
| 66 | Clinton | 72.00 | 8,304 | 60.8% |
| 67 | Dunn | 73.50 | 8,559 | 60.3% |
| 67 | Angier | 73.50 | 6,241 | 60.3% |
| 69 | Roxboro | 75.00 | 8,182 | 60.2% |
| 70 | Lumberton | 76.00 | 18,859 | 58.9% |
| 72 | Fletcher | 78.00 | 8,098 | 58.6% |
| 72 | Mills River | 78.00 | 7,281 | 58.6% |
| 72 | Hendersonville | 78.00 | 15,408 | 58.6% |
| 74 | New Bern | 80.50 | 32,734 | 58.5% |
| 74 | Havelock | 80.50 | 17,691 | 58.5% |
| 76 | Kill Devil Hills | 82.00 | 7,761 | 57.5% |
| 77 | Brevard | 83.00 | 7,897 | 57.0% |
| 78 | Hamlet | 84.50 | 5,961 | 57.0% |
| 78 | Rockingham | 84.50 | 8,967 | 57.0% |
| 80 | Sanford | 86.00 | 31,478 | 56.8% |
| 81 | Wake Forest | 87.00 | 52,844 | 56.0% |
| 82 | Goldsboro | 88.00 | 34,383 | 55.3% |
| 83 | Concord | 90.50 | 108,719 | 53.9% |
| 83 | Harrisburg | 90.50 | 19,633 | 53.9% |
| 87 | Gibsonville | 95.00 | 9,467 | 53.5% |
| 87 | Burlington | 95.00 | 59,610 | 53.5% |
| 87 | Mebane | 95.00 | 19,538 | 53.5% |
| 87 | Graham | 95.00 | 18,048 | 53.5% |
| 87 | Elon | 95.00 | 11,032 | 53.5% |
| 90 | Butner | 98.50 | 8,065 | 52.7% |
| 90 | Oxford | 98.50 | 8,914 | 52.7% |
| 92 | Williamston | 100.00 | 5,112 | 52.1% |
| 93 | Kinston | 101.00 | 19,505 | 51.4% |
| 94 | Laurinburg | 102.00 | 15,087 | 50.6% |
| 95 | Rocky Mount | 103.50 | 54,297 | 49.4% |
| 95 | Nashville | 103.50 | 5,729 | 49.4% |
| 97 | Wilson | 106.00 | 48,370 | 48.1% |
| 98 | Carolina Beach | 107.50 | 6,745 | 48.0% |
| 98 | Wilmington | 107.50 | 120,805 | 48.0% |
| 100 | Boone | 109.00 | 20,032 | 44.9% |
Source: county-level 2020 election results, U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. 142 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
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, High Point, Asheboro, Archdale, Thomasville, Trinity, Mount Airy, Albemarle, Locust, and Hickory.
If you’re curious, here are the least conservative cities in North Carolina. Not sold on North Carolina? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
