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What did 2024 exit polls report about household income and Trump voters?
Executive summary
Exit polls and post-election analyses show that Donald Trump won a majority of voters in income brackets under $100,000 and made measurable gains among lower‑income households: Edison/exit-poll reporting and outlets summarize that Trump won “every family income group earning fewer than $100,000” and improved support among households earning less than $100,000 [1] [2]. Statista’s compilation of 10 key-state exit polling also reports that 46% of voters with 2023 household income of $30,000 or less said they voted for Trump [3].
1. What the exit polls reported: Trump’s strength below $100,000
Exit polling and major post‑election surveys consistently show Trump performed better with lower‑ and middle‑income voters in 2024 than Democrats. WGN’s summary of exit polls from 10 key states says Trump “won every family income group earning fewer than $100,000 a year,” meaning Trump carried multiple income bands below that threshold [1]. Reuters, summarizing an Edison Research exit poll, likewise highlights gains for Trump among voters in households earning less than $100,000 per year [2].
2. Specific figures: the $30,000 or less group and other brackets
One compiled chart (Statista) of exit polling across ten key states gives a concrete number for the lowest income band: 46% of voters with 2023 household income of $30,000 or less reported voting for Trump [3]. Other reporting is framed by broader cutoffs (e.g., “less than $100,000”) rather than reporting every individual bracket in the publicly cited pieces [1] [2].
3. How analysts interpret the economic split
Analysts and outlets describe a clear income divide: Trump’s gains were concentrated among lower‑ and middle‑income voters while the Democratic candidate held up better with higher‑income and college‑educated voters. The Associated Press’ VoteCast analysis notes a “political divide” between higher‑ and lower‑income Americans, with Trump gaining slightly among those with household income under $100,000 while Harris held steadier among those earning more [4]. The Financial Times and other analysts framed this pattern as part of a broader working‑class and noncollege shift that helped power Trump’s victory [5] [2].
4. What the exit polls do — and don’t — tell us
Exit polls measure who said they voted and report vote shares by subgroup; they are snapshots of voters’ self‑reports and are often limited to certain states or samples. Statista’s numbers derive from ten key states, not a complete national tabulation [3]. Reuters’ piece relies on an Edison Research exit poll summary to identify patterns nationwide but focuses on headline groupings [2]. The U.S. Census’ CPS voting tables are noted as an alternative source that may differ from exit polls due to methodology and survey issues, and the Census cautions such differences can arise from nonresponse and question wording [6].
5. Alternative data and later analyses
Post‑election researchers like Pew offered a more granular, validated‑voter analysis later in 2025 showing many demographic patterns were similar to prior elections but confirming Trump’s gains among noncollege and lower‑income constituencies; Pew emphasizes turnout differences as well as preference shifts [7]. The Economic Innovation Group’s county‑level work also links Trump’s gains to counties with lower median household income and other signs of economic distress, indicating geographic concentrations of lower‑income support [8].
6. Caveats, competing interpretations and what’s left unclear
Competing perspectives in the coverage center on whether Trump’s gains were mostly turnout effects (Republican-leaning voters turning out more) or genuine switching among lower‑income voters; Pew’s analysis emphasizes turnout differentials as a major factor [7]. Some reporting highlights increased Hispanic support and noncollege voters alongside income effects, implying income is one of several overlapping drivers [2]. Available sources do not mention detailed cross‑tabs that would show, for example, how income interacted with race, education and age in every bracket — that level of granularity is not present in the cited exit‑poll summaries [3] [1] [2].
7. Bottom line for readers
Multiple exit‑poll summaries and post‑election analyses consistently report Trump performed well among voters in households earning under $100,000 and recorded near‑majority support in the poorest bracket cited (46% at $30,000 or less), but experts stress this pattern sits alongside education, racial and turnout dynamics and is subject to methodological limits of exit polling [3] [1] [2] [7] [6]. Readers should treat headline income splits as a strong signal of where Trump’s 2024 strength lay while consulting fuller datasets (CPS tables, Pew follow‑ups) for deeper causal claims [6] [7].