University leans slightly Democratic by roughly 14 points: about 57% of voters vote Democratic and 43% Republican.
About 34% of adults in University typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in University, ~19% vote Democratic, ~15% Republican, and ~66% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How University compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, University leans more Democratic than 8 of 11 neighbors.
University runs about 28 points more Democratic than Texas as a whole. Texas leans Republican overall, while University is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Why University 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, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. More than 99% of residents in University live in densely developed areas, about 64 points above the U.S. average of 36%. University runs against the grain of Texas, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Cancer-screening access and voter turnout
Places with low colon-cancer-screening access tend to turn out at a lower rate; University, Waco, TX sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. Cancer screening does not drive turnout; it reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access.
Why turnout in University looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. University is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 38%, about 16 points below the Texas average of 54%. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 67% of adults in University have completed high school, below 96% of neighborhoods. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and University sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Baylor, Waco, TX D+8
- Kendrick, Waco, TX D+2
- Alta Vista-Waco, Waco, TX Even
- Brookview, Waco, TX D+6
- Oakwood, Waco, TX Even
- Richland Hills, Waco, TX D+16
- North Waco, Waco, TX D+20
- Landon Branch, Waco, TX R+16
- Carver, Waco, TX D+60
- Parkdale Viking Hills, Waco, TX R+15
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- Altamont, Mountain House, CA D+12
- Heistand, Madison, WI D+50
- Bywater, New Orleans, LA D+63
- Clarksville, Austin, TX D+58
- West Mt. Scott, Happy Valley, OR D+23
- Loch Raven Village, Parkville, MD D+55
- Riverside Heights, Tampa, FL D+21
- Germantown, Nashville, TN D+36
- Apple Creek, San Antonio, TX D+26
- Duveneck-Saint Francis, Palo Alto, CA D+44
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Texas Secretary of State, Elections Division, 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.