sentences:  About 8.30% of families and 13.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.70% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.New Hanover is considered a fairly evenly divided county in political terms, favoring Democrats and Republicans in near equal measure.In the 2004 presidential elections, the county supported George W. Bush over John Kerry by 56% to 44%.