Montecito Heights leans heavily Democratic by roughly 42 points: about 71% of voters vote Democratic and 29% Republican.
About 38% of adults in Montecito Heights typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Montecito Heights, ~27% vote Democratic, ~11% Republican, and ~62% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Montecito Heights compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, Montecito Heights leans more Democratic than 7 of 26 neighbors.
Montecito Heights runs about 22 points more Democratic than California as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within Montecito Heights. The north side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+49) and the south side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+39), a spread of about 10 points.
Why Montecito Heights leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Montecito Heights. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; Montecito Heights, Los Angeles, CA 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 Montecito Heights looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Montecito Heights 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 67% of households in Montecito Heights rent, about 42 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 31% of adults in Montecito Heights report food insecurity, above 84% of neighborhoods. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, CA D+53
- Mount Washington, Los Angeles, CA D+57
- Cypress Park, Los Angeles, CA D+51
- El Sereno, Los Angeles, CA D+43
- Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA D+36
- Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA D+60
- Central City East, Los Angeles, CA D+41
- Civic Center Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA D+48
- Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA D+52
- Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, CA D+43
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- Belmont, Philadelphia, PA D+85
- South Dallas Fair Park, Dallas, TX D+76
- Juniata Park-Feltonville, Philadelphia, PA D+44
- Westwood, Cincinnati, OH D+46
- Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA D+60
- La Habra City, La Habra, CA D+7
- Montebello, Denver, CO D+46
- The Lakes, Las Vegas, NV D+9
- Near West Side, Chicago, IL D+68
- Millard, Omaha, NE Even
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from California Secretary of State, 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.