Parkersburg
Safe Republican — 150K residents — 3 counties
| Group | % |
|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 93.7% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(12) | 1.4% |
▶Black / African American(7) | 1.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 0.5% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(7) | 0.2% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.1% |
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 0.1% |
Multiracial / Other | 3.2% |
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents |
|---|---|---|
| Evangelical Protestant | 19.3% | 44.1% |
| Mainline Protestant | 16.2% | 37.1% |
| Catholic | 6.5% | 14.8% |
| Other | 1.5% | 3.4% |
| LDS (Mormon) | 0.7% | 1.6% |
| Black Protestant | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Non-religious | 56.3% | — |
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Trump+44.0 |
| 2020 | Trump+42.2 |
| 2016 | Trump+44.8 |
| 2012 | Romney+26.2 |
| 2008 | McCain+22.6 |
| 2004 | Bush+22.8 |
| 2000 | Bush+21.0 |
| 1996 | Dole+4.9 |
| 1992 | Bush+5.3 |
Parkersburg is a media market that has a population of 149,906. In the 2024 presidential election, it voted Republican with a margin of R+44.0. Akashic Edge tracks 40 presidential elections here, dating back to 1868.
| Year | Dem % | Rep % | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 27.3% | 71.3% | R+44.0 | R+1.8 |
| 2020 | 28.1% | 70.3% | R+42.2 | D+2.5 |
| 2016 | 24.4% | 69.2% | R+44.8 | R+18.5 |
| 2012 | 35.8% | 62.1% | R+26.2 | R+3.6 |
| 2008 | 37.8% | 60.4% | R+22.6 | D+0.2 |
| 2004 | 38.3% | 61.1% | R+22.8 | R+1.8 |
| 2000 | 38.2% | 59.2% | R+21.0 | R+16.1 |
| 1996 | 41.5% | 46.5% | R+4.9 | D+0.4 |
| 1992 | 37.5% | 42.8% | R+5.3 | D+13.8 |
| 1988 | 40.1% | 59.3% | R+19.2 | D+16.0 |
| 1984 | 31.9% | 67.1% | R+35.2 | R+14.2 |
| 1980 | 36.6% | 57.6% | R+21.0 | R+14.6 |
| 1976 | 46.3% | 52.6% | R+6.4 | D+34.8 |
| 1972 | 28.9% | 70.1% | R+41.1 | R+25.2 |
| 1968 | 37.7% | 53.7% | R+16.0 | R+32.4 |
| 1964 | 58.2% | 41.8% | D+16.4 | D+37.4 |
| 1960 | 39.5% | 60.5% | R+21.0 | D+6.8 |
| 1956 | 36.1% | 63.9% | R+27.9 | R+6.6 |
| 1952 | 39.4% | 60.6% | R+21.2 | R+15.6 |
| 1948 | 47.0% | 52.7% | R+5.6 | — |
What defines Parkersburg?
Parkersburg voted overwhelmingly Republican in 2024. Akashic Edge tracks 40 presidential elections here, revealing how its political character has evolved over more than a century.
Constituent Counties
Similar media markets
Counties in Parkersburg
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | 83K | R+42.9 | 10,317 | 26,380 | 37,440 | 52.2% |
| Washington | 59K | R+43.8 | 8,600 | 22,161 | 31,000 | 43.2% |
| Pleasants | 8K | R+59.0 | 656 | 2,632 | 3,348 | 4.7% |
Ask the Historian
Key Insights
- Has voted Republican in the last 5 presidential elections
- Latest election (2024) was a Republican landslide with a 44.0% margin
- Highly elastic — margins have ranged 22.2 points across recent elections, suggesting a volatile electorate
Who Lives Here
| Group | Parkersburg | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 93.7% | 57.4% |
Multiracial / Other | 3.2% | 4.0% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(12) | 1.4% | 19.3% |
▶Black / African American(7) | 1.0% | 12.2% |
▶Asian(6) | 0.5% | 6.0% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(7) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.1% | 0.9% |
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Religious Adherents
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -33.8pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.3% | 44.1% | — | — | |
| 16.2% | 37.1% | — | — | |
| 6.5% | 14.8% | — | — | |
| 1.5% | 3.4% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.7% | 1.6% | — | — |
| 0.2% | 0.5% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 56.3% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Parkersburg media market? 149,906 residents across 3 counties.
Demographics
23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 10pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+9 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
Turnout in Parkersburg
How competitive is Parkersburg?
Do voters in Parkersburg split their tickets?
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| President vs Governor | R+44.0 | R+37.0 | 7.0pp |
| Senate vs Governor | R+41.7 | R+37.0 | 4.7pp |
| President vs Senate | R+44.0 | R+41.7 | 2.4pp |