How Each State's "Richest" County Voted

[NOVA Green]

Forsyth County- Georgia- MHI $86.6k- Pop 183.0k

Ethnicity: 79.3% Anglo- 9.4% Latino-American- 6.8% Asian-American- 2.8% African-American

Wealthiest Place:

Bear Creek--- MHI $ 114.4k/Yr- Pop 56.8k

Ethnicity: 71.8% Anglo- 14.8% Asian-American- 7.0% Latino-American- 4.3% African-American

So, it gets a bit tricky using statistical Atlas data, since their Census map of Bear Creek, includes several places that don't overlap with the precinct level maps....

Still, if we look at the Census Tract maps by income, we find that the wealthier places actually overlap more cleanly with the two election precincts identified with Bear Creek, and tend to be quite a bit Whiter, and slightly more Asian-American than the "Bear Creek" stats cited above....

Consolidated the data for Precincts # 1 and # 21 between '12 and '16 that overlap more cleanly with how Bear Creek as a "community" within Forsyth.... Feel free to correct or offer alternative suggestions if my precinct & Census data doesn't present the full picture.

2012: (20 D- 79 R)       +59% R
2016: (30 D- 66 R)       +36% R     (+23% D Swing)

[NOVA Green]

South Carolina--- Beaufort County--- MHI $ 57.3k/Yr--- Pop 165.4k--

Ethnicity: 66.5% White, 19.0% Black, 11.5% Latino

So.... spent a week in Beaufort County back in the Mid '90s for a week, visiting a friend from college and his Wife and child, who were close friends of mine....

Flew into the airport from Charlotte, rode "The Dawg" (Greyhound) to Beaufort, and crashed on the floor of his Mom's house that was a restored Plantation House/ Occupation House under reconstruction, that she was able to buy for relatively cheap after the divorce with my friend's Father.

Lovely City, lovely County, although I did decline the deep-fried Alligator when his Mom took me out to one of the best restaurants in the County....

OT Aside:

Wealthiest Place in Beaufort Co, South Carolina:

Hilton Head--- MHI $ 69.8k/Yr---  Pop 38.0k

Ethnicity: 75.7% Anglo; 14.5% Latino-American, 8.4% African-American

2016: (30 D- 66 R)   +36% R
2012: (26 D- 72 R)   +46% R    (+10% D Swing)

[NOVA Green]

Updated Map of wealthiest places in wealthiest counties by state '16:

[NOVA Green]

Wealthiest Place in Wealthiest County---

Wake County- NC---  MHI $66.0k- Pop 929.2k



Cary, NC--- Pop 141.3k--- MHI $90.3k
67.6% White, 13.4% Asian-American, 8.8% Latino, 7.2% African-American
70.2% Higher than HS Degree

The one is slightly tricky since there are some split precincts within the City, which sprawls out in various direction with tentacles stretching and contorting through wide swathes of the county.

For purpose of this, I pulled those precincts which appeared to be substantively based within the City limits, recognizing that the total votes for the City are likely higher.

This includes precincts: 04-01 through 04-21 and 05-01, 05-03, 05-06, 20-04, and 20-05. Anyone with better precinct breakdowns let me know and I'll try to shift the numbers around...

As one might expect from the demographics, this is a City that swung towards Clinton.

2012: (53 D- 45 R)    + 8 D
2016: (59 D- 37 R)    +22 D     (+14% D Swing)

It should be noted that most of swing came from Romney '12 voters backing Clinton, rather than 3rd Party defections.

Now, let's look at the wealthiest townships within the County----

1.) The Bartons Creek Township---   MHI $132.7k--- Pop 22.9k

85.7% White, 5.5% African-American, 4.1% Latino, 3.4% Asian-American
76.3% Greater than HS Degree

2012: (37 D- 62 R)      +25 R
2016: (43 D- 51 R)       + 8 R     (+17% D Swing)

2.) White Oak Township---    MHI $102.3k--- Pop 76.1k

This includes part of the town of Cary, but is majority unincorporated areas.

70.0% White, 13.1% Asian, 7.4% Black, 6.3% Latino
74.4% Higher than HS Degree

2012: (49 D- 49* R)     +0.5 R
2016: (55 D- 39 R)        +16 D  (+16% D Swing)

[NOVA Green]

Florida- Wealthiest County- St Johns- MHI $ 64.9k       Pop 197.1k

Suburbs of Jacksonville, FL

1.) Wealthiest Community- Fruit Cove- MHI $ 95.6k--- Pop 29.6

(Precincts 101,102, 103, 104, 106)--- Slightly rough overlap but still looks about right

84.9% White; 5.6% Latino, 3.4% Black; 3.2% Asian
59.6% > HS Degree

2012: (23 D- 77 R)    +54 R
2016: (26 D- 70 R)    +44 R    (+10% D Swing)

2.) Wealthy Places- Saw Grass- MHI $86.1k- Pop 5.0k

94.1% White, 2.5% Mixed
76.3% > HS Degree

2012: (26 D- 73 R)    + 47 R
2016: (31 D- 65 R)    +34 R    (+13% D Swing)

3.) Wealthiest Place- Census Tract 020708- MHI $ 196.5k-  Pop 2.7k

Slightly North of Palm Valley (Precinct 401 closest match)

2012: (25 D- 73 R)      +48 R
2016: (29 D- 65 R)      +36 R    (+12% D Swing)

So less of a Romney '12> HRC '16 shift than in many other wealthier communities, and somewhat lower overall swing.

[NOVA Green]

Maine- Cumberland County- MHI $ 57.5k    - Pop  283.0k

(Portland Area)

Wealthiest three places...

1.) Cumberland-  MHI $ 100.8k---  Pop 7.3k
93.6% White, 2.8% Asian-American
73.3% > HS Degree

2012: (53 D- 45 R)     + 8 D
2016: (60 D- 33 R)     +27 D       (+19% D Swing)

2.) Cape Elizabeth-  MHI $ 98.1k-   Pop 9.1k
93.0% White, 2.8% Asian, 2% Black
69.4% > HS Degree

2012: (63 D- 35 R)        +28 D
2016: (70 D- 25 R)        +45 D    (+17% D Swing)

3.) Falmouth-  MHI $ 94.9k-  Pop 11.3k
93.6% White, 2.0% Mixed
78.8% > HS Degree

2012: (55 D- 44 R)        + 11 D
2016: (61 D- 33 R)        + 28 D    (+17% D Swing)

So here both a pretty big number of Romney '12> HRC '16 voters, and major swings.

[NOVA Green]

Updated 2016 Map for wealthiest place within the wealthiest County....

[NOVA Green]

Wealthiest Places within the wealthiest county with the states:

New Hampshire- Rockingham- MHI $ 77.3k--- Pop 296.7k

1.) Hampton Falls--- MHI $ 114.3k--- Pop 2.3k
2012: (37 D- 61 R)   +24 R; 2016: (42 D- 51 R)  +9 R       +15% D Swing

2.) Windham-- MHI $ 113.2k--- Pop 13.8k
2012: (36 D- 63 R)   +27 R; 2016: (40 D- 54 R)  +14 R     +13% D Swing

3.) Newfields- MHI $ 113.1k--- Pop 1.6k
2012: (48 D- 52 R)  +4 R; 2016: (52 D- 41 R)    +11 D      +15% D Swing


Vermont- Chittenden- MHI $64.0k--- Pop 157.6k

1.) Charlotte-- MHI $110.3k--- Pop 3.8k
2012: (70 D- 27 R)    +43 D; 2016: (70 D- 20 R)  +50 D    +7% D Swing

2.) Shelborne--- MHI $94.6k-- Pop 7.3k
2012: (68 D- 31 R)  +37 D;  2016: (71 D- 20 R)   +51 D    +14% D Swing

3.) Jericho--- MHI $ 92.2k--- Pop 5.0k
2012: (65 D- 33 R)   + 32 D; 2016: (61 D- 27 R)  +34 D    +2% D Swing

*** Bernie and 3rd Parties were obvious factors here

Rhode Island- Washington County--- MHI $ 72.1k--- Pop 126.6k

1.) Richmond--- MHI $94.0k--- Pop 7.7k
2012: (54 D- 42 R)   +12 D;  2016: (42 D- 50_R)  +8 R    +20% R Swing

What happened here???

2.) New Shoreham--- MHI $ 90.5k--- 836 People
2012: (69 D- 28 R)    +41 D;  2016: (68 D- 24 R)    +44 D   +3% D Swing

3.) Exeter--- MHI $81.6k--- Pop 6.7k
2012: (52 D- 42 R)   +10 D; 2016: (44 D- 51 R)      + 7 R    +17% R Swing

?


Updated 2016 Map

   

[rhody]

Rhode Island- Washington County--- MHI $ 72.1k--- Pop 126.6k

1.) Richmond--- MHI $94.0k--- Pop 7.7k
2012: (54 D- 42 R)   +12 D;  2016: (42 D- 50_R)  +8 R    +20% R Swing

What happened here???

2.) New Shoreham--- MHI $ 90.5k--- 836 People
2012: (69 D- 28 R)    +41 D;  2016: (68 D- 24 R)    +44 D   +3% D Swing

3.) Exeter--- MHI $81.6k--- Pop 6.7k
2012: (52 D- 42 R)   +10 D; 2016: (44 D- 51 R)      + 7 R    +17% R Swing

?



   

I can explain what happened in Richmond and Exeter, RI. Basically, these towns, while perhaps wealthier than the average in RI, are nowhere near the wealthiest in the state and don't identify as such (they are very rural, have very few upscale neighborhoods and are more low key rich) and as a result didn't vote like actual wealthy towns such as Barrington (Bristol County) and East Greenwich (Kent County). Even though the wealthiest parts of the state are outside of Washington County, Washington is the wealthiest overall because the richest areas are in the same county as poor areas. Richmond and Exeter are very white and republican on the local level, with a lot of wwc voters that flipped them.
New Shoreham is coextensive with Block Island and behaves politically more like Barrington/East Greenwich. I'm surprised that Richmond has a higher MHI.

[NOVA Green]

Rhode Island- Washington County--- MHI $ 72.1k--- Pop 126.6k

1.) Richmond--- MHI $94.0k--- Pop 7.7k
2012: (54 D- 42 R)   +12 D;  2016: (42 D- 50_R)  +8 R    +20% R Swing

What happened here???

2.) New Shoreham--- MHI $ 90.5k--- 836 People
2012: (69 D- 28 R)    +41 D;  2016: (68 D- 24 R)    +44 D   +3% D Swing

3.) Exeter--- MHI $81.6k--- Pop 6.7k
2012: (52 D- 42 R)   +10 D; 2016: (44 D- 51 R)      + 7 R    +17% R Swing

?



   

I can explain what happened in Richmond and Exeter, RI. Basically, these towns, while perhaps wealthier than the average in RI, are nowhere near the wealthiest in the state and don't identify as such (they are very rural, have very few upscale neighborhoods and are more low key rich) and as a result didn't vote like actual wealthy towns such as Barrington (Bristol County) and East Greenwich (Kent County). Even though the wealthiest parts of the state are outside of Washington County, Washington is the wealthiest overall because the richest areas are in the same county as poor areas. Richmond and Exeter are very white and republican on the local level, with a lot of wwc voters that flipped them.
New Shoreham is coextensive with Block Island and behaves politically more like Barrington/East Greenwich. I'm surprised that Richmond has a higher MHI.

Thanks Rhody and welcome to the Forum!!!

I did also pull the numbers for the wealthier towns in other counties in RI, and they fit more of the pattern that we have seen elsewhere among upper middle-class communities...

Bristol County- Barrington-- MHI $103.7k/Yr- Pop 16.3k---
2012: (58 D- 40 R)  +18 D; 2016: (63 D- 30 R)  +33 D---    +15% D Swing

Kent County-  East Greenwich--- MHI $ 96.4k--- Pop 13.1k
2012: (48 D- 50_R)   +2 R;  2016: (52 D -41 R)    +11 D      +13% D Swing

Newport County- Jameston--- MHI $ 90.5k--- Pop 5.4k
2012: (61 D- 37 R)   +24 D;  2016: (61 D- 32 R)   +29 D      +5 D Swing

So, Richmond at least still qualifies as the 3rd wealthiest town in the state, and so far one of the only relatively wealthy places within the US, within the data looked at thus far that swung towards the Republican Presidential candidate (Heavily at that!).

In terms of relative occupations, law enforcement & firefighting rank #2 and #3 respectively, followed by repair and transportation and #4 and #5, so it definitely looks like there is a solid base of relatively well-paid blue collar workers living here, where one might expect to see an Obama '12> Trump '16 swing.

Management does clock in at 15%, which is a pretty high number, and Science as well as Computers & Math are also disproportionately represented.... These occupations tend to have a higher correlation with a Romney '12> Clinton '16 swing than many others.

So, I'm still a bit confused on this one, and it's been quite a few years since I've been back out to RI visiting family.

[rhody]

Thanks for the welcome!
Regardless of what MHI says, no RIer would identify Richmond as one of the wealthiest RI towns. Parts of Richmond have some nice neighborhoods that probably saw some Romney-Clinton swings, being on Interstate 95 the town serves as a rural bedroom community for Providence. However, backwoods northern and southern Richmond contain a significant portion of the population and feature some mid to very low income areas. People who live in these parts of town are white working class, a lot are WASPs/Swamp Yankees, and are responsible for the town's heavy swing to Trump. Richmond is not as uniformly wealthy as the suburban or coastal towns that are more stereotypically rich (Barrington, EG, Jamestown, Little Compton) that saw swings to Clinton.
The few wealthy areas of town do explain why Richmond actually had one of the smaller swings to Trump in western RI (Trump made even bigger gains in Hopkinton, Coventry, Foster, Burrillville, Glocester, etc.)
Hope this helps!

[NOVA Green]

Oklahoma- Canadian County: MHI $ 63.6k--- Pop 120k

Wealthiest Place:

1.) Piedmont---- MHI $72.6k--- Pop 6.0k

(Precincts 200, 503, 504, & 506)

2012: (22.4 D- 77.6 R)----     +55.2% R
2016: (19.4 D- 74.0 R)-----    + 54.6 % R     (+0.6% D Swing)

2.) Census Tract--- 031300---- MHI $100.7k--- Pop 4.6k

(Precincts 226 & 308)

2012: (15.1 D- 84.9 R)---      +69.8% R
2016: (11.7 D- 82.7 R)---      +71.0% R        (+1.2% R Swing)


3.) Census Tract--- 301008---  MHI $ 91.4k--- Pop 6.5k

2012: (39.1 D- 60.9)----   +21.8% R
2016: (41.5+ D- 50.5_R)   +9.0% R             (+12.8% D Swing)

So the precinct boundaries don't completely overlap for the two census tract locations, but still give us a pretty good idea. Piedmont has one precinct that is partially split with some exurban/rural type area, but still....

So interestingly enough, it doesn't really appear that there was the same type of swing towards the Democrats in 2/3 wealthiest areas within Canadian County.

However, the one section closest to Oklahoma City proper did see the type of swing we have observed elsewhere among wealthier suburban voters.

I have some other data from wealthier areas in Oklahoma County that I'll add and post to the other thread....