University Heights leans heavily Democratic by roughly 32 points: about 66% of voters vote Democratic and 34% Republican.
About 37% of adults in University Heights typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in University Heights, ~24% vote Democratic, ~13% Republican, and ~63% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How University Heights compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, University Heights leans more Democratic than 12 of 43 neighbors.
University Heights runs about 19 points more Democratic than New York as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within University Heights. The north side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+42) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+26), a spread of about 16 points.
Why University Heights leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per neighborhood to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for University Heights, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with many never-married adults vote Democratic. About 48% of adults in University Heights have never been married, modestly above similar-sized neighborhoods (around 40%).
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; University Heights, Bronx, NY sits in the top tenth 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 University Heights looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. University 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 92% of households in University Heights rent, about 67 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 38% of adults in University Heights report food insecurity, above 92% of neighborhoods. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Fordham, Bronx, NY D+36
- Inwood, Manhattan, NY D+47
- Belmont, Bronx, NY D+43
- Morris Heights, Bronx, NY D+43
- Tremont, Bronx, NY D+43
- Kings Bridge, Bronx, NY D+31
- Bedford Park, Bronx, NY D+33
- Spuyten Duyvil, Bronx, NY D+49
- Washington Heights, Manhattan, NY D+49
- Highbridge, Bronx, NY D+41
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- East Foothills, San Jose, CA D+27
- Lone Mountain, Las Vegas, NV D+6
- Belmont Cragin, Chicago, IL D+33
- Briargate, Colorado Springs, CO R+11
- Humboldt Park, Chicago, IL D+61
- Far Northwest, Fort Worth, TX R+14
- Lower Valley, El Paso, TX D+27
- Southeast Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO D+12
- Valley Oak, Stockton, CA D+12
- Downtown San Francisco, San Francisco, CA D+56
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from New York State Board 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.