Data Narrative

Swing Counties 2024: Where the Election Was Won and Lost

The counties that flipped, shifted, or held the line in the Trump-Harris race

Akashic Edge Research·February 20, 2026·5 min read
206206Counties That Flipped
+3.8+3.8Average Republican Swing

The Big Swing

The 2024 election saw a nationwide rightward shift compared to 2020. Across

all 3,143 counties, the average swing was approximately 3.8 points toward

Republicans. But the national average obscures vastly different stories

playing out in different regions.

~206Counties that flipped party from 2020

Some counties that Biden won in 2020 swung to Trump. Others that were already

red got redder. And a small number of counties bucked the trend entirely,

moving toward Democrats in a Republican year.

Rust Belt: The Decisive Region

The Rust Belt states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio were

ground zero for the 2024 swing. These states contain a mix of shrinking

industrial cities, growing suburbs, and rural communities that each

responded differently to the Trump-Harris contest.

The pattern: urban areas held for Democrats but often with reduced margins,

while suburban counties saw the most competitive races. Rural counties

continued their consolidation toward Republicans.

Erie County, PAR+3.1 shift
R+4.2
Previous:
R+1.1

Sun Belt: The New Battleground

Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina represent the new frontier

of competitive elections. These states saw some of the tightest margins

in the country, with individual counties often deciding statewide outcomes

by thousands of votes.

The Sun Belt swing story is driven by two forces: rapid demographic change

in suburban counties and differential turnout patterns between 2020 and 2024.

Find Your County's Swing

Every county on Akashic Edge includes swing analysis comparing any two

elections. See how your county shifted from 2020 to 2024, or compare

any pair of elections going back to 1868.

Explore county-level swing data at akashicedge.com.

The free tier provides state-level data. Pro ($33/mo) unlocks county and

precinct-level swing analysis.