22172 leans heavily Democratic by roughly 42 points: about 71% of voters vote Democratic and 29% Republican.
About 66% of adults in 22172 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 22172, ~47% vote Democratic, ~19% Republican, and ~34% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 22172 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 22172 leans more Democratic than 17 of 19 neighbors.
22172 runs about 37 points more Democratic than Virginia as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 22172. The northeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+53) and the west side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+8), a spread of about 45 points.
Why 22172 leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per zip code to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for 22172, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 22172 is about 23%, about 49 points below the U.S. average of 72%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 22172 sits in the top quarter (about 37%, above 77% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 35% of adults in 22172 have never been married, above 80% of zip codes.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; 22172, VA sits above the national average on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in 22172 looks the way it does
Turnout in 22172 sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Zip Codes
Zip Codes with Similar Populations
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Virginia Department of Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.