23227 is a Democratic stronghold. About 80% of voters here vote Democratic and 20% Republican.
About 78% of adults in 23227 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 23227, ~62% vote Democratic, ~16% Republican, and ~22% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 23227 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 23227 leans more Democratic than 26 of 32 neighbors.
23227 runs about 55 points more Democratic than Virginia as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 23227. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+77) and the north side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+39), a spread of about 39 points.
Why 23227 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 23227, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 23227 is about 43%, about 29 points below the U.S. average of 72%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 23227 sits in the top quarter (about 45%, above 86% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 38% of adults in 23227 have never been married, above 85% of zip codes.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 23227, VA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 23227 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 23227 is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 68%, about 8 points above the U.S. average of 60%. 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.