SEGMENTS , MAPPING AND
UNDERSTANDING MODERN
AMERICAN POLITICS
Problem with the Red/Blue Breakdown
Fine for keeping political
score, but doesn’t
acknowledge the immense
diversity of 300 million people,
3.5 million square miles
Leads to stereotyping and
creates camps within the
electorate, the idea that
all Red places are similar,
all the Blue places are
alike
Problem with Demographic Slices
It removes people from their environment and pays little
or no attention to the surrounding influences
So that this….
... is seen just like this
The American Communities Project
15 County Types created with 40-plus demographic data points
# Counties
222
364
371
373
337
89
106
161
42
599
154
41
161
46
77
Names
Exurbs
Graying America
African American South
Evangelical Hubs
Working Class Country
Military Posts
Urban Suburbs
Hispanic Centers
Native American Lands
Rural Middle America
College Towns
LDS Enclaves
Aging Farmlands
Big Cities
Middle Suburbs
www.AmericanCommunities.org
Population
32 mill
15.3 mill
16.7 mill
12.5 mill
8.5 mill
9.7 mill
66.2 mill
11.5 mill
695,000
21.5 mill
17.9 mill
3 mill
576,000
73.6 mill
16.3 mill
The Divides Inside the Country
Party Affiliation by County Type (without leaners)
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Democrat
Republican
The line between the Suburbs and Exurbs is an important divider for
Democrat- and Republican-leaning America.
Gallup Data
Racial Breakdowns
Race and Ethnicity
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
White
Black
Hispanic
10%
0%
The rising tide of racial and ethnic diversity looks very different in different
communities, helping create different partisan leanings.
Census Data
The Changing Demographics
Hispanic Growth
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
Hispanic 2012
Hispanic 2000
0%
The U.S. Hispanic population has grown everywhere since 2000, but the impacts
are very different depending on the community.
Census data
The Changing Economics
Rising Poverty Rates
30.00%
25.00%
20.00%
15.00%
10.00%
5.00%
Poverty 2010
Poverty 2000
0.00%
Poverty have risen across every county type since 2000, though some of that may
have to do with the great recession.
Census data
Income and Poverty
$70,000
$60,000
$50,000
$40,000
$30,000
$20,000
$10,000
$0
Average Median HH Income
Poverty Rates
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Census Data
Different Skills and Education Levels
College Bachelors+
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
While education levels vary across community types, rural communities
consistently have lower levels overall.
Census data
Faith Differences
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
Catholic
10%
Protestant
5%
0%
The line between Suburbs and the Exurbs is also the
line between Catholics and Protestants.
Gallup Data
Inequality Across the Types
Average Gini Index
0.5
0.48
0.46
0.44
0.42
0.4
0.38
0.36
Urban communities – Big Cities, Urban Suburbs, College Towns – tend to have more
built-in cultural and socio-economic tensions.
Using the Gini Index you can see how divided their base communities are.
Census Data
Very Different Social Values
Gay Marriage
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
Favor
10%
Oppose
0%
There is a divide on social issues between the more socially moderate urban
communities and rural ones like the Evangelical Hubs and Working Class Country.
You can see the split on issues like gay marriage, where the gap is pronounced.
Pew Research Data
Behind the Views on the ACA – Part 1
Uninsured By ACP Community Type
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Animosity toward the ACA is driven by a complicated set of factors, some of the
places that stand to gain coverage from the law are the most opposed.
Census Data
Behind the Views on the ACA – Part 2
Monthly Premium
$250
Axis Title
$200
$150
$100
$50
$0
On top of politics, cost may play a big role. Rural communities, which lean
Republican and have lower income play more under many federal exchange plans.
Federal Exchange Insurance Data
You Are Where You Eat
25%
Who goes to Cracker Barrel
20%
15%
10%
5%
Who visited in
the last 12 mos
0%
Who shops at Whole Foods
9%
8%
7%
6%
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0%
Who Shopped in
the last 4 weeks
Experian Data