Columbia Heights West leans heavily Democratic by roughly 40 points: about 70% of voters vote Democratic and 30% Republican.
About 60% of adults in Columbia Heights West typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Columbia Heights West, ~42% vote Democratic, ~18% Republican, and ~40% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Columbia Heights West compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, Columbia Heights West is the least Democratic-leaning.
Columbia Heights West runs about 34 points more Democratic than Virginia as a whole.
Why Columbia Heights West leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Columbia Heights West. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; Columbia Heights West, Arlington, VA sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in Columbia Heights West looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Columbia Heights West is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Crowded housing lines up with lower turnout, and about 15% of homes in Columbia Heights West have more than one occupant per room, above 96% of neighborhoods. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Forest Glen, Arlington, VA D+43
- Columbia Forest, Arlington, VA D+51
- Barcroft, Arlington, VA D+48
- Douglas Park, Arlington, VA D+53
- Bailey's Crossroads, Falls Church, VA D+44
- Buckingham, Arlington, VA D+52
- Bluemont, Arlington, VA D+60
- Ashton Heights, Arlington, VA D+62
- Ballston-Virginia Square, Arlington, VA D+58
- Nauck, Arlington, VA D+67
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- Prospect-Shields, Fort Collins, CO D+45
- New Center, Detroit, MI D+80
- Jefferson Park, Charlottesville, VA D+63
- Wenonah, Minneapolis, MN D+61
- Briarfield, Newport News, VA D+55
- Lone Star, San Antonio, TX D+36
- West Side Squires, Erie, PA D+23
- Ravenswood Gardens, Chicago, IL D+78
- Meadowlawn, St. Petersburg, FL R+7
- Milkhouse, Mobile, AL R+17
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.