- 06 Nov 2016 19:14
#14733472
Decades ago I stumbled across The Nine Nations of North America I've been interested in the various cultures that make up the nation of nations known as the United States, and a few years ago I tried a new book that took the question down to the county level, Our Patchwork Nation. Back in 2012 I first posted a poll for this, but now we're in another election and people move so I thought I'd reprise it. So US citizens and residents, which type of county do you live in, and (if you're willing) how did you vote for president in 2016? (The "vote" answer would obviously have to be in a post rather than the poll.) And for a no-prize, who won your county? (After the election, obviously.)
If anyone has a question about which type they live in, there's actually a website now where you can look it up by zip code: Patchwork Nation.
For me, my county is still Boom Town (the book assigns Industrial Metropolis as the second-best category) and I voted for "none of the above" (an actual option on the ballot in my state).
Note: Yes, I know there is no "Other" option. First, there are twelve types of counties, there's no room for an "Other" option. Second, the twelve types cover every one of the 3,141 counties in the United States (as of 2011).
Boom Towns: 384 counties, 59.3 million people. These relatively wealthy locales were, before the late-2000s economic crash, both growing rapidly and seeing their minority populations increase. George Bush won these counties by 14%and 17%, but McCain won them by only 5%.
Campus and Careers: 71 counties, 13.1 million people. A younger population, lots of college students, and people just starting their postgraduate careers mark these places. Obama carried them by 18%. Gore and Kerry carried them by less, but still double-digits.
Emptying Nests: 250 counties, 12.1 million people. These counties are older than average, with lots of boomers and retirees living on fixed incomes. They're also less diverse than the nation as a whole. Bush carried them by 10% and 13%, while Obama and McCain split the vote 49%.
Evangelical Epicenters: 468 counties, 14.1 million people. The median household income in these counties, full of young people and evangelical Christians, is below the national average, but people here aren't necessarily bothered by that. McCain took 68% of the vote.
Immigration Nation: 204 counties, 20.7 million people. Located primarily in the Southwest, these places have large Hispanic populations, lower than average incomes, and higher than average poverty. Bush won them by 5% and 9%, but Obama won them by 3%.
Industrial Metropolis: 41 counties, 53.9 million people. Home to the nation's big industrial cities, these places are more densely packed, younger, and more diverse than the average county. This is landslide Democratic country, with Gore winning by 29%, Kerry by 27%, and Obama by 37%.
Military Bastions: 55 counties, 8.4 million people. Located near the nation's military bases, these middle-income locales are full of soldiers, vets, and their families. Bush took them by around 10% in 2000, but McCain by only a few points in 2008.
Minority Central: 364 counties, 13.5 million people. Heavy populations of African Americans and Native Americans mark these communities. So do lower incomes and higher poverty rates. Gore and Obama both did 2 points better than Kerry, winning them by 1%.
Monied Burbs: 286 counties, 69.1 million people. These places have higher than average levels of household income and educational attainment. Gore carried them by 3%, Kerry by only 1%, Obama by 12%.
Mormon Outposts; 44 counties, 1.7 million people. Located primarily in the Mountain West, these places have very high numbers of adherents to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and are often rural and sparsely populated. This is Republican landslide country, where Bush took over 76% of the vote in both elections and McCain 72%.
Service Worker Centers: 663 counties, 31 million people. These places hold tourist centers or midsize towns where many people live without employee benefits and on the margins. When the economy goes bad, it usually happens here first. Bush won them by 7% and 12%, but McCain by only 4%.
Tractor Country: 311 counties, 2.3 million people. These places are white, rural, and remote, with sparse populations and farming and agribusiness as their economic base. Bush took 68% of the vote both times, but that dropped to 64% for McCain.
If anyone has a question about which type they live in, there's actually a website now where you can look it up by zip code: Patchwork Nation.
For me, my county is still Boom Town (the book assigns Industrial Metropolis as the second-best category) and I voted for "none of the above" (an actual option on the ballot in my state).
Note: Yes, I know there is no "Other" option. First, there are twelve types of counties, there's no room for an "Other" option. Second, the twelve types cover every one of the 3,141 counties in the United States (as of 2011).
Boom Towns: 384 counties, 59.3 million people. These relatively wealthy locales were, before the late-2000s economic crash, both growing rapidly and seeing their minority populations increase. George Bush won these counties by 14%and 17%, but McCain won them by only 5%.
Campus and Careers: 71 counties, 13.1 million people. A younger population, lots of college students, and people just starting their postgraduate careers mark these places. Obama carried them by 18%. Gore and Kerry carried them by less, but still double-digits.
Emptying Nests: 250 counties, 12.1 million people. These counties are older than average, with lots of boomers and retirees living on fixed incomes. They're also less diverse than the nation as a whole. Bush carried them by 10% and 13%, while Obama and McCain split the vote 49%.
Evangelical Epicenters: 468 counties, 14.1 million people. The median household income in these counties, full of young people and evangelical Christians, is below the national average, but people here aren't necessarily bothered by that. McCain took 68% of the vote.
Immigration Nation: 204 counties, 20.7 million people. Located primarily in the Southwest, these places have large Hispanic populations, lower than average incomes, and higher than average poverty. Bush won them by 5% and 9%, but Obama won them by 3%.
Industrial Metropolis: 41 counties, 53.9 million people. Home to the nation's big industrial cities, these places are more densely packed, younger, and more diverse than the average county. This is landslide Democratic country, with Gore winning by 29%, Kerry by 27%, and Obama by 37%.
Military Bastions: 55 counties, 8.4 million people. Located near the nation's military bases, these middle-income locales are full of soldiers, vets, and their families. Bush took them by around 10% in 2000, but McCain by only a few points in 2008.
Minority Central: 364 counties, 13.5 million people. Heavy populations of African Americans and Native Americans mark these communities. So do lower incomes and higher poverty rates. Gore and Obama both did 2 points better than Kerry, winning them by 1%.
Monied Burbs: 286 counties, 69.1 million people. These places have higher than average levels of household income and educational attainment. Gore carried them by 3%, Kerry by only 1%, Obama by 12%.
Mormon Outposts; 44 counties, 1.7 million people. Located primarily in the Mountain West, these places have very high numbers of adherents to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and are often rural and sparsely populated. This is Republican landslide country, where Bush took over 76% of the vote in both elections and McCain 72%.
Service Worker Centers: 663 counties, 31 million people. These places hold tourist centers or midsize towns where many people live without employee benefits and on the margins. When the economy goes bad, it usually happens here first. Bush won them by 7% and 12%, but McCain by only 4%.
Tractor Country: 311 counties, 2.3 million people. These places are white, rural, and remote, with sparse populations and farming and agribusiness as their economic base. Bush took 68% of the vote both times, but that dropped to 64% for McCain.
Society cannot exist, unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere; and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without.
—Edmund Burke
—Edmund Burke