West Chicago leans slightly Democratic by roughly 8 points: about 54% of voters vote Democratic and 46% Republican.
About 61% of adults in West Chicago typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in West Chicago, ~33% vote Democratic, ~28% Republican, and ~39% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How West Chicago compares
Among cities within 25 miles, West Chicago leans more Democratic than 91 of 166 neighbors.
Politically, West Chicago sits close to the rest of Illinois.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within West Chicago. The southwest side runs the most Democratic (D+21) and the north side runs the most Republican (R+12), a spread of about 33 points.
Why West Chicago leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per city to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for West Chicago, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 81% of residents in West Chicago live in densely developed areas, about 44 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and West Chicago sits in the top quarter (about 33%, above 79% of cities). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 35% of adults in West Chicago have never been married, above 87% of cities.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; West Chicago, IL 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 West Chicago looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. West Chicago 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 9% of homes in West Chicago have more than one occupant per room, above 95% of cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Wayne Center, IL D+10
- Winfield, IL D+6
- Carol Stream, IL D+10
- Wayne, IL R+7
- Warrenville, IL D+14
- Wheaton, IL D+21
- Bartlett, IL D+3
- Batavia, IL D+15
- St. Charles, IL D+6
- Glendale Heights, IL D+14
Cities with Similar Populations
- Bel Air North, MD R+13
- Independence, KY R+31
- Stevens Point, WI D+6
- Santa Paula, CA D+21
- Tifton, GA R+12
- Spring Valley, CA D+11
- Brooklyn Center, MN D+40
- Chester, PA D+78
- Westlake, OH D+8
- Saratoga, CA D+29
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Illinois 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.