As we get closer to the presidential election, we will be looking at the demographic make-up of the battleground states.  These are the states that analysts think are up for grabs by Obama and Romney. They will be the determining factor of who wins the presidency.  First up is Nevada.

The map and data below tell the story of the demographic and political makeup of the Nevada prior to the election.  What will sway the voters in this state?  What do we know about them?  We’ll be sure to check back after Nov. 6 to see what the election results reveal.

 General Population Statistics

Known as the “Silver State” Nevada has a population of just over 2.7 million people.  About two-thirds of the population lives in just one county – Clark County, which includes Las Vegas.  Here are some key statistics about Nevada:

The residents of Nevada are overall just slightly more conservative overall than the average American.  Using a market potential index by Esri, a geographic information systems company which also does data analysis, demonstrates this:

A resident of Nevada is 3% more likely than the average American to consider himself very conservative and 3% more likely to consider himself somewhat conservative.  A resident of Nevada is 2% more likely than average American to consider himself either somewhat liberal but 12% less likely than the average American to consider himself very liberal.   Residents do not have die-hard political leanings in either direction, demonstrating the location as a potential battleground in the upcoming election.

Nevada Politics Market Potential Index

Where people live in Nevada does seem to somewhat sway their political leanings.   People are a bit more likely to lean liberal if they are in the large cities (Las Vegas and Carson City) versus out in rural areas, where people are a bit more likely to have conservative political views.

Nevada Tapestry Segmentation

Esri also developed the Tapestry Segmentation system that classifies US residential neighborhoods into 65 unique market segments based on socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.  The top tapestry segments for the Nevada are:

Residents of Tapestry’s Up and Coming Families neighborhoods, for example, are young, affluent families with younger children. Eighty percent of the households are families. The median household income is $69,522 and nearly two-thirds of the residents aged 25 years and older have attended college; more than one in five holds a bachelor’s degree.  Aspiring Young Families are young, start-up families.  Two-thirds of these residents are families.  Their median income is $46,275 and they are more ethnically diverse than the US population.

Nevada Tapestry Map

Unemployment

One key factor in the upcoming election is unemployment.   This has varied by state.  When Barack Obama was sworn in as president in January 2009 Nevada had an unemployment rate of 9.6%.  In July 2012 (the latest figures available by the Bureau of Labor Statistics) that number had risen to 12.0%.  Of course, each county in the state varies.

Most counties in Nevada have higher unemployment rates now than when Obama took over as president, including Clark County (the largest) that went from a rate of 9.8% in January 2009 to 12.9% in July 2012.

Why Does This Matter?

Understanding the type of people who live in Nevada can help Barack Obama and Mitt Romney target their campaigns and even messaging.  Knowing what the local issues are, what the demographic make-up of an area is, what the political leanings are of an area, or knowing what types of activities they participate in can help them find their supporters – at a very local level – and help them be in a better position win an election.

More information about Esri’s data can be found at www.esri.com/data or to learn more about Esri in general, go to www.esri.com.