How The Frost Belt And Sun Belt Illustrate The Complexity Of America’s Urban-Rural Divide

There’s little question that the 2020 presidential election further cemented America’s urban-rural political divide.

However, as in any election, there were exceptions, like the rural areas where President Biden actually improved Democrats’ vote share or the urban spots where Donald Trump garnered more support than in 2016. And if we hone in on six key states, a more nuanced picture of electoral trends emerges.

This piece looks at county-level results from the last three presidential elections in Arizona, Florida and Georgia, or the competitive battlegrounds in the “Sun Belt,” and...