23488 leans slightly Republican by roughly 12 points: about 44% of voters vote Democratic and 56% Republican.
About 61% of adults in 23488 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 23488, ~27% vote Democratic, ~34% Republican, and ~39% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 23488 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 23488 leans more Republican than 8 of 24 neighbors.
23488 runs about 18 points more Republican than Virginia as a whole. Virginia leans Democratic overall, while 23488 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 23488 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 23488, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with low college attainment vote Republican. About 7% of adults in 23488 hold a bachelor's degree, about 22 points below the Virginia average of 29%. 23488 runs against the grain of Virginia, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; 23488, VA sits below 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 23488 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 23488 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 42% of households in 23488 rent, compared to around 21% in nearby zip codes. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 26% of adults in 23488 report food insecurity, above 90% of zip codes. 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.