Now that we’re headed towards the next big election, we wanted to get a better sense of what parts of Virginia would be the most likely to back Donald Trump again.
Specifically, which cities have the highest number of conservative voters in the Old Dominion?
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to measure how each city in Virginia with populations greater than 5,000 voted in past elections. The cities with the highest percentage of voters who voted Republican were named the most conservative cities in the state.
83.0% Republican vote · #1 most conservative in Virginia
Located in
Tazewell County, Virginia
Richlands is a town in Tazewell County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,823 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,578.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
80.4% Republican vote · #2 most conservative in Virginia
Located in
Wise County, Virginia
Big Stone Gap is a town in Wise County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,643 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
77.8% Republican vote · #3 most conservative in Virginia
Located in
Wythe County, Virginia
Wytheville is a town in, and the county seat of, Wythe County, Virginia, United States. It is named after George Wythe, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, and mentor to Thomas Jefferson. Wytheville’s population was 8,211 at the 2010 census. Located at the intersection of Interstate Highways 77 and 81, the town has long been a crossroads for travelers. During the American Civil War, Wytheville had a strategic importance, and was attacked in 1863 and 1865. The town is also the birthplace of Edith Bolling Wilson, wife of President Woodrow Wilson.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
77.6% Republican vote · #4 most conservative in Virginia
Located in
Smyth County, Virginia
Marion is a town in Smyth County, Virginia, United States. The population was 6,033 according to a 2017 count- not estimate- using local resources, information and current data. It is the county seat. The town is named for American Revolutionary War officer Francis Marion.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
75.6% Republican vote · #5 most conservative in Virginia
Located in
Washington County, Virginia
Abingdon is a town in Washington County, Virginia, United States, 133 miles southwest of Roanoke. The population was 8,191 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Washington County. The town encompasses several historically significant sites and features a fine arts and crafts scene centered on the galleries and museums along Main Street.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
71.3% Republican vote · #6 most conservative in Virginia
Located in
Poquoson city, Virginia
Poquoson is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,150. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Poquoson with surrounding York County for statistical purposes.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
69.8% Republican vote · #7 most conservative in Virginia
Located in
Pulaski County, Virginia
Pulaski is a town in Pulaski County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,086 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Pulaski County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
69.6% Republican vote · #8 most conservative in Virginia
Located in
Galax city, Virginia
Galax is an independent city in the southwestern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 7,042. In 2015 the estimated population was 6,941.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
69.5% Republican vote · #10 most conservative in Virginia
Woodstock is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. It has a population of 5,097 according to the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Shenandoah County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
69.5% Republican vote · #10 most conservative in Virginia
Located in
Shenandoah County, Virginia
Strasburg is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States, which was founded in 1761 by Peter Stover. It is the largest town by population in the county and is known for its pottery, antiques, and Civil War history. The population was 6,398 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Virginia’s statewide median.
On the map
Mapping the conservative strongholds in Virginia
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most conservative cities in Virginia for 2026
To find the most conservative places in Virginia, we used Saturday Night Science – the argument you’d make at a bar – to find the cities with the most conservatives.
We started by making a list of every city in Virginia over 5,000 people based on the 2020-2024 American Community Survey. That left us with 62 cities and towns.
We then measured the voting record and MIT election data to determine which places rock the most rightward in their allegiances by:
- Percentage Of Votes For The Republican President In 2020
Because no voting data exists at the city level, we used county-level election results from the 2020 election. We assigned every city in a county the percentage of votes that went to the Republicans, effectively extending the county’s results to the city level. In cases where larger cities encompassed an entire county, the election outcomes accurately reflected the city’s political landscape.
Next, we ranked each city from 1 to 62 for each criterion, where number one was the most conservative.
The winner, Richlands, is “The Most Conservative City in Virginia For 2026”. The most liberal place in Virginia was Petersburg.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the most conservative places to live in Virginia.
The full plate
Most Conservative Places In Virginia
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Conservative Score | Population | % Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richlands | 1.00 | 5,171 | 83.0% |
| 2 | Big Stone Gap | 2.00 | 5,162 | 80.4% |
| 3 | Wytheville | 3.00 | 8,202 | 77.8% |
| 4 | Marion | 4.00 | 5,670 | 77.6% |
| 5 | Abingdon | 5.00 | 8,330 | 75.6% |
| 6 | Poquoson | 6.00 | 12,639 | 71.3% |
| 7 | Pulaski | 7.00 | 8,893 | 69.8% |
| 8 | Galax | 8.00 | 6,726 | 69.6% |
| 9 | Woodstock | 9.50 | 5,871 | 69.5% |
| 9 | Strasburg | 9.50 | 7,214 | 69.5% |
| 11 | Bridgewater | 11.00 | 6,708 | 69.3% |
| 12 | Bristol | 12.00 | 16,849 | 68.4% |
| 13 | Buena Vista | 13.00 | 6,593 | 67.1% |
| 14 | Front Royal | 14.00 | 15,296 | 66.5% |
| 15 | Colonial Heights | 15.00 | 18,352 | 65.6% |
| 16 | Ashland | 16.00 | 7,772 | 62.4% |
| 17 | Covington | 17.00 | 5,680 | 60.7% |
| 18 | Vinton | 18.00 | 8,056 | 59.9% |
| 19 | Orange | 19.00 | 5,066 | 59.9% |
| 20 | Culpeper | 20.00 | 20,794 | 59.1% |
| 21 | Salem | 21.00 | 25,618 | 58.9% |
| 22 | Smithfield | 22.00 | 8,834 | 58.4% |
| 23 | Warrenton | 23.00 | 10,176 | 57.5% |
| 24 | South Boston | 24.00 | 7,853 | 57.1% |
| 25 | Farmville | 25.00 | 7,774 | 56.8% |
| 26 | Waynesboro | 26.00 | 22,841 | 51.4% |
| 27 | Lynchburg | 27.00 | 79,497 | 47.0% |
| 28 | Virginia Beach | 29.00 | 456,349 | 46.1% |
| 29 | Christiansburg | 30.50 | 22,720 | 45.8% |
| 29 | Blacksburg | 30.50 | 45,446 | 45.8% |
| 31 | Chesapeake | 32.00 | 252,583 | 45.7% |
| 32 | Radford | 33.00 | 16,726 | 44.1% |
| 33 | Staunton | 34.00 | 25,948 | 43.8% |
| 34 | Winchester | 35.00 | 27,913 | 43.1% |
| 35 | Hopewell | 36.00 | 22,959 | 41.8% |
| 36 | Suffolk | 37.00 | 98,796 | 40.5% |
| 37 | Danville | 38.00 | 42,214 | 38.2% |
| 38 | Manassas | 39.00 | 42,976 | 36.8% |
| 39 | Franklin | 40.00 | 8,250 | 36.6% |
| 40 | Leesburg | 41.50 | 49,171 | 36.5% |
| 40 | Purcellville | 41.50 | 8,973 | 36.5% |
| 42 | Roanoke | 43.00 | 98,355 | 36.0% |
| 43 | Martinsville | 44.00 | 13,658 | 35.9% |
| 44 | Dumfries | 45.00 | 5,816 | 35.6% |
| 45 | Lexington | 46.00 | 7,525 | 32.8% |
| 46 | Harrisonburg | 47.00 | 51,392 | 32.7% |
| 47 | Manassas Park | 48.00 | 16,798 | 32.5% |
| 48 | Newport News | 49.00 | 184,216 | 32.5% |
| 49 | Emporia | 50.00 | 5,547 | 31.6% |
| 50 | Fredericksburg | 51.00 | 28,873 | 31.4% |
| 51 | Fairfax | 52.00 | 25,026 | 29.7% |
| 52 | Portsmouth | 53.00 | 97,190 | 28.6% |
| 53 | Williamsburg | 54.00 | 15,798 | 28.5% |
| 54 | Herndon | 55.50 | 24,672 | 28.0% |
| 54 | Vienna | 55.50 | 16,412 | 28.0% |
| 56 | Hampton | 57.00 | 137,557 | 27.9% |
| 57 | Norfolk | 58.00 | 233,596 | 26.1% |
| 58 | Alexandria | 59.00 | 156,976 | 17.6% |
| 59 | Falls Church | 60.00 | 14,710 | 16.9% |
| 60 | Richmond | 61.00 | 229,359 | 14.9% |
| 61 | Charlottesville | 62.00 | 45,437 | 12.8% |
| 62 | Petersburg | 63.00 | 33,537 | 11.2% |
Source: county-level 2020 election results, U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. 62 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summing Up The Conservative Strongholds in Virginia
Well, there you have it, the places in Virginia that have the highest number of conservatives per capita, with Richlands ranking as the most conservative in the entire state.
The most conservative cities in Virginia are Richlands, Big Stone Gap, Wytheville, Marion, Abingdon, Poquoson, Pulaski, Galax, Woodstock, and Strasburg.
If you’re curious, here are the least conservative cities in Virginia. Not sold on Virginia? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
