50010 leans Democratic by roughly 30 points: about 65% of voters vote Democratic and 35% Republican.
About 80% of adults in 50010 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 50010, ~52% vote Democratic, ~28% Republican, and ~20% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 50010 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 50010 is the most Democratic-leaning.
50010 runs about 43 points more Democratic than Iowa as a whole. Iowa leans Republican overall, while 50010 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 50010. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+44) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+2), a spread of about 41 points.
Why 50010 leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per zip code to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for 50010, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 63% of adults in 50010 hold a bachelor's degree, about 35 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Dense areas vote Democratic, and 50010 sits in the top fifth on density (about 79%, above 82% of zip codes). 50010 runs against the grain of Iowa, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 50010, IA 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 50010 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 50010 is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 71%, about 11 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 97% of adults in 50010 have completed high school, above 92% of zip codes. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Zip Codes
Zip Codes with Similar Populations
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Iowa Secretary of State, 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.