Now that we’re headed towards the next big election, we wanted to get a better sense of what parts of Michigan would be the most likely to back Donald Trump again.
Specifically, which cities have the highest number of conservative voters in the Wolverine State?
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to measure how each city in Michigan with populations greater than 5,000 voted in past elections. The cities with the highest percentage of voters who voted Republican were named the most conservative cities in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 most conservative places in Michigan for 2024
If you’re wondering, Chelsea is the most liberal city in Michigan of all those we measured.
And to be clear, we didn’t form this list based on our own biases — we relied on the cold hard data. For more on how we ran the numbers, keep on reading. Then we’ll take a closer look at each of our top 10 most conservative cities in Michigan.
Additional reading about Michigan and the most conservative places in the country:
The 10 Most Conservative Places In Michigan For 2024
/10
Percent Republican: 73.1%
More on Hillsdale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 68.5%
More on Coldwater: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Percent Republican: 68.0%
More on Greenville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Percent Republican: 67.4%
More on Lapeer: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Percent Republican: 66.3%
More on Cadillac: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 65.9%
More on Iron Mountain: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 65.9%
More on Kingsford: Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 65.4%
More on Hastings: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 64.9%
More on Three Rivers: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 64.9%
More on Sturgis: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
How we determined the most conservative cities in Michigan for 2024
To find the most conservative places in Michigan, we used Saturday Night Science – the argument you’d make at a bar – to find the cities with the most conservatives.
We started by making a list of every city in Michigan over 5,000 people based on the 2018-2022 American Community Survey. That left us with 154 cities and towns.
We then measured the voting record and MIT election data to determine which places rock the most rightward in their allegiances by:
- Percentage Of Votes For The Republican President In 2020
Because no voting data exists at the city level, we used county-level election results from the 2020 election. We assigned every city in a county the percentage of votes that went to the Republicans, effectively extending the county’s results to the city level. In cases where larger cities encompassed an entire county, the election outcomes accurately reflected the city’s political landscape.
Next, we ranked each city from 1 to 154 for each criterion, where number one was the most conservative.
The winner, Hillsdale, is “The Most Conservative City in Michigan For 2024”. The most liberal place in Michigan was Chelsea.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the most conservative places to live in Michigan.
Summing Up The Conservative Strongholds in Michigan
Well, there you have it, the places in Michigan that have the highest number of conservatives per capita, with Hillsdale ranking as the most conservative in the entire state.
The most conservative cities in Michigan are Hillsdale, Coldwater, Greenville, Lapeer, Cadillac, Iron Mountain, Kingsford, Hastings, Three Rivers, and Sturgis.
If you’re curious, here are the least conservative cities in Michigan:
- Chelsea
- Saline
- Ann Arbor
For more Michigan reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Michigan
- Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan
- Most Dangerous Places in Michigan
- Richest Cities In Michigan
- Safest Places In Michigan
- Worst Places To Live In Michigan
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Michigan
Most Conservative Places In Michigan
| Rank | City | Population | % Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hillsdale, MI | 8,005 | 73.1% |
| 2 | Coldwater, MI | 13,704 | 68.5% |
| 3 | Greenville, MI | 8,866 | 68.0% |
| 4 | Lapeer, MI | 9,034 | 67.4% |
| 5 | Cadillac, MI | 10,400 | 66.3% |
| 6 | Iron Mountain, MI | 7,522 | 65.9% |
| 7 | Kingsford, MI | 5,127 | 65.9% |
| 8 | Hastings, MI | 7,504 | 65.4% |
| 9 | Three Rivers, MI | 7,923 | 64.9% |
| 10 | Sturgis, MI | 11,050 | 64.9% |
| 11 | Menominee, MI | 8,429 | 64.4% |
| 12 | Richmond, MI | 5,852 | 64.3% |
| 13 | Marysville, MI | 9,973 | 64.3% |
| 14 | Port Huron, MI | 28,881 | 64.3% |
| 15 | St. Clair, MI | 5,496 | 64.3% |
| 16 | Belding, MI | 5,942 | 64.1% |
| 17 | Ionia, MI | 13,081 | 64.1% |
| 18 | Dowagiac, MI | 5,680 | 63.7% |
| 19 | Niles, MI | 11,871 | 63.7% |
| 20 | St. Louis, MI | 6,932 | 63.3% |
| 21 | Alma, MI | 9,436 | 63.3% |
| 22 | Big Rapids, MI | 7,915 | 63.0% |
| 23 | Alpena, MI | 10,200 | 63.0% |
| 24 | Escanaba, MI | 12,403 | 62.4% |
| 25 | Gladstone, MI | 5,231 | 62.4% |
| 26 | Allegan, MI | 5,180 | 61.7% |
| 27 | Holland, MI | 34,186 | 61.7% |
| 28 | Sault Ste. Marie, MI | 13,409 | 60.5% |
| 29 | Brighton, MI | 7,486 | 60.5% |
| 30 | Fenton, MI | 11,967 | 60.5% |
| 31 | Howell, MI | 10,067 | 60.5% |
| 32 | Milan, MI | 6,153 | 60.5% |
| 33 | Dundee, MI | 5,408 | 60.5% |
| 34 | Monroe, MI | 20,400 | 60.5% |
| 35 | Flat Rock, MI | 10,448 | 60.5% |
| 36 | Zeeland, MI | 5,701 | 59.8% |
| 37 | Hudsonville, MI | 7,633 | 59.8% |
| 38 | Grand Haven, MI | 10,961 | 59.8% |
| 39 | Ludington, MI | 7,691 | 59.2% |
| 40 | Tecumseh, MI | 8,678 | 59.1% |
| 41 | Adrian, MI | 20,607 | 59.1% |
| 42 | Owosso, MI | 14,678 | 59.0% |
| 43 | Jackson, MI | 31,420 | 58.6% |
| 44 | Manistee, MI | 6,248 | 56.8% |
| 45 | Midland, MI | 42,404 | 56.4% |
| 46 | Houghton, MI | 8,303 | 56.1% |
| 47 | Ironwood, MI | 5,088 | 55.6% |
| 48 | Bay City, MI | 32,664 | 55.0% |
| 49 | Petoskey, MI | 5,859 | 54.7% |
| 50 | Albion, MI | 7,732 | 54.6% |
| 51 | Springfield, MI | 5,268 | 54.6% |
| 52 | Battle Creek, MI | 52,469 | 54.6% |
| 53 | Marshall, MI | 6,806 | 54.6% |
| 54 | New Baltimore, MI | 12,104 | 53.4% |
| 55 | St. Clair Shores, MI | 58,656 | 53.4% |
| 56 | Mount Clemens, MI | 15,679 | 53.4% |
| 57 | Fraser, MI | 14,668 | 53.4% |
| 58 | Roseville, MI | 47,476 | 53.4% |
| 59 | Warren, MI | 138,588 | 53.4% |
| 60 | Center Line, MI | 8,493 | 53.4% |
| 61 | Utica, MI | 5,195 | 53.4% |
| 62 | New Haven, MI | 6,200 | 53.4% |
| 63 | Sterling Heights, MI | 133,744 | 53.4% |
| 64 | Eastpointe, MI | 34,087 | 53.4% |
| 65 | St. Joseph, MI | 7,852 | 52.8% |
| 66 | Benton Harbor, MI | 9,101 | 52.8% |
| 67 | Lansing, MI | 112,986 | 52.4% |
| 68 | St. Johns, MI | 7,711 | 52.4% |
| 69 | Grand Ledge, MI | 7,795 | 52.4% |
| 70 | East Lansing, MI | 45,403 | 52.4% |
| 71 | Traverse City, MI | 15,468 | 50.6% |
| 72 | Mount Pleasant, MI | 21,826 | 50.4% |
| 73 | Eaton Rapids, MI | 5,201 | 49.4% |
| 74 | Charlotte, MI | 9,273 | 49.4% |
| 75 | Saginaw, MI | 44,316 | 49.1% |
| 76 | Frankenmuth, MI | 5,064 | 49.1% |
| 77 | Muskegon Heights, MI | 9,954 | 48.8% |
| 78 | Norton Shores, MI | 24,984 | 48.8% |
| 79 | Muskegon, MI | 38,286 | 48.8% |
| 80 | Walker, MI | 25,175 | 45.9% |
| 81 | Grand Rapids, MI | 198,096 | 45.9% |
| 82 | Kentwood, MI | 54,042 | 45.9% |
| 83 | Rockford, MI | 6,144 | 45.9% |
| 84 | Wyoming, MI | 76,732 | 45.9% |
| 85 | East Grand Rapids, MI | 11,385 | 45.9% |
| 86 | Grandville, MI | 16,017 | 45.9% |
| 87 | Burton, MI | 29,568 | 44.6% |
| 88 | Swartz Creek, MI | 5,865 | 44.6% |
| 89 | Grand Blanc, MI | 8,034 | 44.6% |
| 90 | Flint, MI | 81,863 | 44.6% |
| 91 | Davison, MI | 5,114 | 44.6% |
| 92 | Flushing, MI | 8,349 | 44.6% |
| 93 | Marquette, MI | 20,673 | 43.5% |
| 94 | Ishpeming, MI | 6,191 | 43.5% |
| 95 | Berkley, MI | 15,150 | 42.3% |
| 96 | Madison Heights, MI | 28,521 | 42.3% |
| 97 | Auburn Hills, MI | 24,593 | 42.3% |
| 98 | Wixom, MI | 17,007 | 42.3% |
| 99 | Milford, MI | 6,483 | 42.3% |
| 100 | Holly, MI | 5,997 | 42.3% |