50012 leans Democratic by roughly 18 points: about 59% of voters vote Democratic and 41% Republican.
About 56% of adults in 50012 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 50012, ~33% vote Democratic, ~23% Republican, and ~44% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 50012 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 50012 leans more Democratic than 13 of 16 neighbors.
50012 runs about 30 points more Democratic than Iowa as a whole. Iowa leans Republican overall, while 50012 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 50012. The south side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+30) and the southeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+16), a spread of about 14 points.
Why 50012 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 50012, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. More than 99% of adults in 50012 hold a bachelor's degree, about 71 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Dense areas vote Democratic, and 50012 sits in the top fifth on density (about 91%, above 88% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and more than 99% of adults in 50012 have never been married, in the top fraction of zip codes.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 50012, IA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 50012 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 97% of households in 50012 rent, about 72 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and more than 99% of adults in 50012 have completed high school, in the top fraction 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.