23231 is a Democratic stronghold. About 76% of voters here vote Democratic and 24% Republican.
About 77% of adults in 23231 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 23231, ~59% vote Democratic, ~18% Republican, and ~23% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 23231 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 23231 leans more Democratic than 20 of 31 neighbors.
23231 runs about 46 points more Democratic than Virginia as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 23231. The west side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+72) and the south side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+3), a spread of about 68 points.
Why 23231 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 23231, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 23231 is about 31%, about 42 points below the U.S. average of 72%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 39% of adults in 23231 have never been married, above 87% of zip codes.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 23231, 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 23231 looks the way it does
Turnout in 23231 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.