Athens-Clarke County, GA
Competitive — shifted 4.5pp toward Republicans in 2024 — 220K residents — 4 counties
| Group | % |
|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 64.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(18) | 9.6% |
▶Black / African American(12) | 18.3% |
▶Asian(6) | 3.7% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(9) | 0.7% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.4% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(3) | 0.1% |
Multiracial / Other | 3.4% |
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents |
|---|---|---|
| Evangelical Protestant | 18.7% | 50.3% |
| Mainline Protestant | 7.0% | 18.9% |
| Catholic | 6.2% | 16.8% |
| Other | 2.6% | 7.1% |
| Black Protestant | 2.5% | 6.8% |
| LDS (Mormon) | 0.9% | 2.5% |
| Non-religious | 62.9% | — |
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Trump+2.4 |
| 2020 | Biden+2.1 |
| 2016 | Trump+0.6 |
| 2012 | Romney+7.1 |
| 2008 | McCain+0.3 |
| 2004 | Bush+9.4 |
| 2000 | Bush+10.6 |
| 1996 | Clinton+1.9 |
| 1992 | Clinton+5.3 |
Athens-Clarke County, GA is a metro area that has a population of 220,197. In the 2024 presidential election, it voted Republican with a margin of R+2.4. Akashic Edge tracks 40 presidential elections here, dating back to 1868.
| Year | Dem % | Rep % | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 48.4% | 50.7% | R+2.4 | R+4.5 |
| 2020 | 50.3% | 48.2% | D+2.1 | D+2.7 |
| 2016 | 46.6% | 47.3% | R+0.6 | D+6.4 |
| 2012 | 45.2% | 52.3% | R+7.1 | R+6.8 |
| 2008 | 49.1% | 49.4% | R+0.3 | D+9.2 |
| 2004 | 44.6% | 54.0% | R+9.4 | D+1.1 |
| 2000 | 42.2% | 52.8% | R+10.6 | R+12.5 |
| 1996 | 47.1% | 45.2% | D+1.9 | R+3.4 |
| 1992 | 46.2% | 41.0% | D+5.3 | D+19.1 |
| 1988 | 42.8% | 56.6% | R+13.8 | D+4.1 |
| 1984 | 41.0% | 59.0% | R+17.9 | R+28.9 |
| 1980 | 53.0% | 42.1% | D+11.0 | R+20.8 |
| 1976 | 65.9% | 34.1% | D+31.8 | D+72.8 |
| 1972 | 29.5% | 70.5% | R+41.0 | R+39.2 |
| 1968 | 29.8% | 31.6% | R+1.8 | R+18.5 |
| 1964 | 58.3% | 41.7% | D+16.6 | R+38.0 |
| 1960 | 77.3% | 22.7% | D+54.6 | D+1.3 |
| 1956 | 76.6% | 23.3% | D+53.3 | R+6.7 |
| 1952 | 80.0% | 20.0% | D+60.0 | R+0.5 |
| 1948 | 72.4% | 11.8% | D+60.5 | — |
What defines Athens-Clarke County, GA?
Athens-Clarke County, GA has flipped between parties in each of the last three elections — a fiercely contested battleground. It has a racially mixed, moderately educated electorate — the suburban swing demographic that decides close elections.
Constituent Counties
Similar metro areas
Counties in Athens-Clarke County, GA
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke | 130K | D+38.3 | 36,297 | 16,049 | 52,887 | 50.0% |
| Oconee | 44K | R+35.9 | 8,620 | 18,424 | 27,287 | 25.8% |
| Madison | 32K | R+54.8 | 3,753 | 12,951 | 16,787 | 15.9% |
| Oglethorpe | 16K | R+42.4 | 2,515 | 6,255 | 8,822 | 8.3% |
Ask the Historian
Key Insights
- The 2008 election was decided by just 0.3 points — razor-thin
- Won by both parties in recent history — Democrats most recently in 2020, Republicans in 2024
- College attainment is 44% — 11pp above the national average. Similar education levels correlate with Democratic lean nationally
Who Lives Here
| Group | Local | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 64.4% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(12) | 18.3% | 12.2% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(18) | 9.6% | 19.3% |
▶Asian(6) | 3.7% | 6.0% |
Multiracial / Other | 3.4% | 4.0% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(9) | 0.7% | 0.9% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.4% | 0.9% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(3) | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Religious Adherents
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -38.0pp (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18.7% | 50.3% | — | — | |
| 7.0% | 18.9% | — | — | |
| 6.2% | 16.8% | — | — | |
| 2.6% | 7.1% | — | — | |
| 2.5% | 6.8% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.9% | 2.5% | — | — |
Non-religiousPopulation | 62.9% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Athens-Clarke County, GA metro area? 220,197 residents across 4 counties.
Demographics
44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 11pp above the national average. Places with similar education levels vote D+16 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 Athens-Clarke County, GA
How competitive is Athens-Clarke County, GA?
Do voters in Athens-Clarke County, GA split their tickets?
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate vs Governor | D+1.1 | R+9.3 | 10.4pp |