You’ve probably seen the headlines. Every few years, after the dust from a presidential election finally settles, the same question starts popping up in every newsroom and around every dinner table: how did the white vote shake out? Specifically, what percentage of white people voted for Trump?
Honestly, the answer is a lot more layered than just one big number. If you’re looking for the quick stat, in 2024, 55% of white voters cast their ballots for Donald Trump, according to the Pew Research Center. But if you stop there, you’re missing the actual story.
That 55% number is remarkably steady. It’s almost eerie. Back in 2020, he got 55%. In 2016, it was 54%. Basically, for nearly a decade, the "white vote" has been the bedrock of the Trump coalition, even as the world around it changed.
The Great Education Divide
If you want to understand why American politics feels so polarized, you have to look at the "diploma gap." This is where the white vote stops being a monolith and starts looking like two different countries.
White voters without a four-year college degree are the heart of the MAGA movement. In 2024, roughly two-thirds of white non-college voters backed Trump. We’re talking about 64% to 66% depending on which exit poll you trust. These are folks in rural towns and industrial hubs who feel like the "system" hasn't worked for them in decades.
On the flip side, white college graduates are a totally different story.
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In 2024, Kamala Harris actually won a majority of college-educated white women. Trump still holds onto white college-educated men, but the margins are slim—often coming in around 50-52%.
Men vs. Women: The Gender Chasm
We can’t talk about what percentage of white people voted for Trump without talking about the "Suburban Woman" narrative.
For years, pundits predicted white women would flee the Republican party. It didn't quite happen like that. In 2024, about 53% of white women voted for Trump. That’s essentially the same as it was in 2016. Despite the massive shifts in abortion access and the cultural wars, a majority of white women have remained remarkably consistent in their support for the GOP.
White men? They’re even more locked in. About 60% of white men went for Trump in 2024. When you mix that with the rural-urban divide, you get a map that looks like a sea of red with blue islands.
The Religion Factor
You can't ignore the pews. White evangelical Christians are the single most loyal block in the entire electorate.
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In every election Trump has run in, he has secured roughly 80% of the white evangelical vote. To put that in perspective, if you walk into a white evangelical church on a Sunday morning, four out of every five people in those seats likely voted for the 45th (and 47th) president.
White Catholics are more of a "swing" group, but they still leaned toward Trump by about 10 to 15 points in 2024.
Why the 2024 Shift Was Different
Here is the weird part. Even though Trump’s share of the white vote stayed almost exactly the same (55%), he won more decisively in 2024 than in 2020. How?
Because he didn't just rely on white voters this time.
His coalition got more diverse. He made massive gains with Hispanic men and even saw his numbers tick up with Black men in key states like Pennsylvania and Michigan. But the white vote stayed as the anchor. It’s the floor that never dropped out from under him.
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Breaking Down the Numbers
If you’re a data person, here’s the rough breakdown of the white vote in the most recent election:
- Total White Voters: 55% Trump / 43% Harris
- White Men: ~60% Trump
- White Women: ~53% Trump
- White Non-College: ~66% Trump
- White College Grads: ~45-48% Trump
It’s important to remember that these are based on exit polls and validated voter data from groups like the Associated Press (VoteCast) and Pew Research. These numbers can shift slightly as more data is processed, but the trend is clear: white voters are the most reliable part of the Republican base, particularly those outside of major metro areas.
What Does This Mean for the Future?
The "demographics is destiny" argument—the idea that as America gets less white, Republicans will naturally lose—has basically been set on fire.
Trump showed that you can maintain a dominant share of the white vote while simultaneously peeling off enough minority voters to flip the popular vote. It’s a new kind of math.
Take Actionable Steps to Understand the Data:
- Check the "Validated Voter" reports: Instead of just looking at exit polls from election night (which are often wonky), wait for the Pew Research "Validated Voter" studies. They use actual voting records to confirm who really turned out.
- Look at the margins, not just the winners: In states like Wisconsin or Georgia, a 1% shift in the white non-college vote is often the difference between a landslide and a nail-biter.
- Monitor the suburban shift: Keep an eye on white voters in the "collar counties" around cities like Philadelphia or Detroit. That’s where the real tug-of-war for the soul of the white vote is happening.
The reality of what percentage of white people voted for Trump is that it isn't a "surge" or a "collapse." It's a steady, reliable foundation that has redefined American politics for a generation.
To get a truly granular look at how your specific area voted, you can use the MIT Election Data and Science Lab tools to see county-level breakdowns. This helps move past national averages and shows how local economies influence these percentages.