23801 leans Democratic by roughly 18 points: about 59% of voters vote Democratic and 41% Republican.
About 54% of adults in 23801 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 23801, ~32% vote Democratic, ~22% Republican, and ~46% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 23801 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 23801 leans more Democratic than 8 of 11 neighbors.
23801 runs about 12 points more Democratic than Virginia as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 23801. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+23) and the west side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+3), a spread of about 19 points.
Why 23801 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 23801, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with many never-married adults vote Democratic. About 53% of adults in 23801 have never been married, well above similar-sized zip codes (around 29%).
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 23801, VA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 23801 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 82% of households in 23801 rent, about 57 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Limited routine healthcare access lines up with lower turnout, and 23801 sits in the bottom quarter on routine-care measures. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 97% of adults in 23801 have completed high school, above 89% 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.