West City leans heavily Republican by roughly 42 points: about 29% of voters vote Democratic and 71% Republican.
About 64% of adults in West City typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in West City, ~19% vote Democratic, ~46% Republican, and ~35% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How West City compares
Among cities within 25 miles, West City leans more Republican than 12 of 88 neighbors.
West City runs about 53 points more Republican than Illinois as a whole. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while West City is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why West City 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 City, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
West City votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 35%, above 82% of cities). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and West City sits in the bottom quarter (about 9%, below 95% of cities). West City runs against the grain of Illinois, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; West City, IL sits in the top quarter 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 City looks the way it does
Turnout in West City sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Benton, IL R+49
- Steel City, IL R+55
- Buckner, IL R+57
- Logan, IL R+63
- Orient, IL R+61
- Valier, IL R+58
- Hanaford, IL R+63
- Whittington, IL R+55
- Christopher, IL R+49
Cities with Similar Populations
- Oscar, LA R+72
- Russell, MN R+57
- Chilhowee, MO R+64
- Soldier Pond, ME R+41
- Gordon, OH R+60
- Gum Branch, NC R+44
- Plainfield, MA D+32
- McElhattan, PA R+48
- Roberts Corners, MI R+39
- Eminence, MO R+62
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.