akashic
1876–2024
Kent County, Michigan
Kent County·Michigan

Kent County votes the way the country votes.

Grand Rapids anchor keeps Kent competitive in statewide races

18762024·38 elections
Kent County, Michigan · WMrapids · Wikimedia Commons
Latest
D+5
in 2024
Archetype
Bellwether
since the recent cycles
Population
663,150
2024 ACS
Most similar
Frederick County
MD · similarity 0.99
492 precincts · 372,930 votes cast
Harris · D+5
Margin
Turnout
Harris +50
Trump +50
Real precinct boundaries. Hover for vote totals.
YearWonMarginDemocraticRepublicanTotal
2024D
+5.3%
192,668172,720372,930
2020D
+6.1%
187,915165,741361,048
2016R
−3.1%
138,683148,180310,894
2012R
−7.7%
133,408155,925294,206
2008D
+0.5%
149,909148,336303,235
2004R
−18.7%
116,909171,201290,891
2000R
−21.2%
95,442148,602250,318
1996R
−15.9%
85,912121,335223,379
1992R
−13.6%
82,305115,285242,553
1988R
−28.3%
73,467131,910206,842
1984R
−34.7%
66,238137,417205,020
1980R
−19.3%
72,790112,604206,290
1976R
−35.9%
59,000126,805188,633
1972R
−20.8%
67,587104,041175,461
1968R
−15.0%
61,89185,810159,850
1964D
+13.0%
86,86066,830153,959
1960R
−21.7%
61,31395,477157,296
1956R
−31.9%
48,87194,969144,482
1952R
−25.3%
47,22179,647128,315
1948R
−10.6%
43,20553,66998,776
1944R
−10.6%
43,67954,16399,116
1940R
−4.8%
48,19653,131102,076
1936D
+9.6%
44,82336,63385,304
1932R
−0.7%
41,60142,18686,723
1928R
−50.9%
18,22956,57375,310
1924R
−63.1%
7,98245,20759,008
1920R
−44.8%
14,76340,80258,175
1916D
+11.3%
20,36416,09537,903
1912D
+9.1%
9,4126,49831,926
1908R
−17.2%
11,44516,57629,901
1904R
−48.9%
6,43020,25428,277
1900R
−12.5%
13,77517,86132,598
1896R
−11.1%
13,58217,05331,384
1892R
−3.2%
11,53312,38826,750
1888
No data
1884
No data
1880
No data
1876
No data
Demographics
Race, ethnicity, and ancestry
Click any group to see the ancestries typically reported within it.
American
100.0%
Polish
0.5%
African American
7.8%
Multiple ancestry combinations reported; no single grouping above 1%.
American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander combined.
Source · American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2024 release. Ancestry is a self-reported, multiple-response item; ancestry percentages do not sum to the parent race percentage.
Language at home
Population aged 5 and older
0.0%
speak English only
Source · ACS 5-year estimates, 2024.
Religious adherents
Adherents per capita by tradition
Catholic & Orthodox
15.4%
Other Christian
9.3%
Mainline Protestant
9.2%
Pentecostal & Holiness
3.1%
Baptist
2.1%
Methodist
1.9%
Non-Christian
1.9%
Source · 2020 US Religion Census. Remaining 57.1% of residents not counted as adherents by any reporting body.

Once reliably Republican, Kent County's urban-suburban shift around Grand Rapids has gradually narrowed margins, flipping the county to a modest Democratic lean in recent presidential cycles while remaining a genuine battleground at other levels.

The Democratic margin in Kent County has rarely exceeded thirteen points in modern history; the Republican margin has rarely exceeded sixty-three points. 2024 delivered the county to the Democratic candidate by five points.

Kent County's demographics resemble the country more than they resemble most counties. A 73% non-Hispanic-white share, a 10% poverty rate, and a median household income of $82,631 — all within the broad national range. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Frederick County and Chesterfield County.